[DC] Raven's Replacement (Raven Lunacy sequel; OC in Teen Titans)

Late Omake - Author Omake 4

Robots kidnapped my brain, held me hostage, didn't have time to publish Author Omake 4 before Episode 21. So, I put a 'place holder' in. While that was only there for a few hours (11?), you might've read that and been confused. The real Omake has now been posted.

 

Raven's Replacement, Small Issues - Episode 22

I've 'lost the plot'. This isn't good. What should I do?

OK. Think. Where are we?

We've dealt with Slade. Run around trying to ensure there's no loose ends. That we're ready for Pure to attack.

But, is that wise?

Being purely (sic) defensive isn't that smart. We're giving him time to get ready, probe our defences, find more allies. There're people we really don't want to fight, like the Brotherhood of Evil, old Doom Patrol enemies. And, Robin, the Titan's tactical leader, ... isn't very well.

Yes, we've got Doctor Blue (Nurf), but she's a medic. Roshi, though he's really for support. Oracle giving a helping hand. And, I suppose, Amazo Girl. Though, she's really a bit... untested.

Looked at from another point of view we've got a lot of raw power. Just... not very good focus.

Maybe it's not that bad?

---

Raven's checked, at my request. Found there's a very subtle magical attack on the Tower. Carried in by the air, we're breathing.

Seems to encourage irrational fear, self-doubt. Her remark was, "That's clever", as she reworked the wards to stop it, while trying to make it appear that it was actually affecting us.

Where does it come from? Someone seems to have placed enchanted stones on the seabed, around the Tower. Probably over several days. Placing the last stone started the... miasma. Raven's ward-tinkering will have to be very careful.

I'm... annoyed.

So, I grab Amazo Girl, drag her off to go book shopping, in that other-England, with the Foyles bookshop. The other-England that in my previous time-line I'd thought was actually in this world.

---

We're going as 'civilians'. But, walking there along the dimensional paths, hidden within our robes. Her robe isn't the defensive wonder mine is, as she's not anything like as 'squishy'.

But, it does help her disguise who she is, and helps her act a role, rather like my 'secret identity' glasses. Probably it's major feature is that it's very difficult to destroy. And, it's a 'modular' design, intended to have new capabilities easily added, later. 'Module one's her robe's robe-scarf capability.

As we travel, when we're unlikely to be overheard, I explain my interest in Asimov. That, maybe as a constructed being, she might share an interest in our 'culture'. And how a lot of it was pretty negative, starting from 'Frankenstein' then R.U.R. and Metropolis, Colossus and HAL 9000, then through Terminator's Skynet and Battlestar Galactica's Cylons.

The Cyberiad, Asimov's robots, Star Trek's Data - the positive stuff was far less common. Data hadn't yet appeared in 'Warp Trek'. I'd seen no serious sign of any of the positive side in our world of super-powers. Outside Japan.

We're reasonably secure, so I point-out how she could probably get pretty wealthy by selling 'Bleed batteries', based on the tech of her Bleed armour. Rename them to something like... 'dimensional torsion' (DT?) cells and very few could figure-out what was going on. Quite expensive to make, but immense storage capacity.

She's... willing to think more about it. And, yes, she'll think more about her 'native culture'.

And, I carefully point-out the subtle dimensional twist, which confused me, first time around.

---

We find somewhere quiet, after our bookshop visit. A pleasantly-shaded graveyard. Also spend a little time looking around London. Time's not a problem, I've used a trick which means we'll be away for roughly a hundredth of the time, compared to the Tower.

The quiet place is for my ritual, where I place our 'bounty' in my dimensional pocket. Yes, she wants one of those, and, yes she wants to grasp this subtle non-combat magic stuff.

I... ask her a few probing questions about her powers. Whether she can alter them, learn to use them more effectively, even in new ways. If she knows the mechanics behind her copying abilities. If she could repair her power-copying ability, if it got damaged.

Whether... Professor Ivo is one of her 'templates'.

She's in considerable pain.

"Please, remember for me. I want to get to the bottom of this, fix things."

She goes blank. Her eyes close, open. A killing machine looks around, for threats. I sit very, very, still.

Blank again. A lost child looks around, confused. Then, she recognises me. Slowly returns to herself.

"That was a... moderately bad one. I've had worse, but not that often. This is part of what I think'll kill me, sooner or later. ... What were we talking about?"

I... prevaricate. Say I want to Raven-consult. That's accepted.

For now.

---

We're... back at the Tower. Special training.

Our apprentice is going to enter as deep a trance as she can, using any help we can provide. Seeing as she's immune to most drugs that wont help, so it's meditation and hypnosis, with some careful mind magic. Takes more than an hour-and-a-half. Before Raven's satisfied.

She... directs me a dimensional step away, into a private dimension, I've not visited, before. Asks I keep it a secret. That I'm the first person bar her and... Cosmo to visit the place. Cosmo followed her here.

We leave our physical bodies, then return, astrally, to... Mary. Now for the delicate bit. Getting her out of her body, on to the astral.

There's... traps. One obvious one, and a pair of more subtle unpleasantnesses. The massive energy discharge isn't an issue, because we're not physical. The catch-trap, that's nasty, a dimensional snare. And, there's an infinite mind-mirror to deal with mentalists. All these are deep within her, at a level near her core.

She's, her spirit's, scrunched-up, folded, within her core. We have to carefully press, tug, slide her in strange directions. Finally, she's free. A braided cable, wire and crystal, leads back to her body. It looks more like a binding than a spirit-mind-body tether.

Looking down at her. She's slowly becoming conscious. Likely experience of using many strange super-powers. A (naked) red-headed girl child. She's... a metre, about three-and-a-quarter-feet, tall

Ah.

---

"You're tall." She looks up.

"Your... growth was probably restricted, based on where you were."

"I feel... free. Do I have to go back?" She bounces on her toes.

"Generally people who don't suffer from... this minor issue called 'death'." Is Raven's voice a little dry?

"Oh. Can you show me how to be more comfortable?"

"Let's go look at your 'spirit house'. If we move around, through certain higher dimensions, we can look in ways your designer probably didn't anticipate."

We do.

---

There's... some really nasty bits around her core. She'd probably reached the limit, maybe gone a bit beyond, what would fit in there. It's... designed to prevent her learning, doing, certain sorts of things. My tech-vision is enhanced by Raven magic so we can get the desired details. I narrate my discoveries, as I make them.

Mary's... looking a bit sick.

"I... don't want to be Amazo Girl, any more. She's... a twisted machine created for revenge."

We're taking a break. Amazo body looms over us, a hillside at least. Raven serves spiritual tea, which helps us relax.

"It's... not that bad." I try and console.

"If Raven targets her magic right we can remove a couple of the big constraints. Give you room to go on growing. Some of the others you can likely train-away. Looks a survivable and fixable situation."

She's dubious.

"Yes?"

Raven and I hug her.

"Yes. And, we're here for you."

---

AN: You might wonder what's going on at the start of this episode. Hopefully it'll become clearer, later, but Geo is effectively fighting-off a subtle magical attack. Though, you might suspect not completely...

AN: R.U.R.; because TLAs can be rather... opaque.

AN: OK, Metropolis, while I'm at it - you're looking at 'False Maria'. Colossus is likely better known by the film (The Forbin Project). And, Cylons.

AN: Because it deserves its own reference, The Cyberiad.

AN: This episode fought back, a lot...

 

Author Note 3 for 'Raven's Replacement'

If you're worried about 'spoilers'...

That might be why you're not reading the 'Doll Raven' Author Omake. Generally, reading those is 'safe' between a day and a week after they're posted. The latest one spoiler'd something in Episode 21. The previous one was 'safe to read' after Episode 20.

I think.

They vary.

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 23

Lunch. Upmarket restaurant. Raven, Zatanna, me.

We've things to discuss.

"Good to meet you, Raven. The prophecy meant I couldn't, before, even though I really wanted to help."

"I know about the prophecy, one of the things I learned from Sugoi. Early on, before any... mysterious meetings. The business of 'Raven's Apprentice', that I learned about the same time. I'm guessing you know I have taken one?"

"You have?"

"Yes. An off-worlder, as is desirable. Uses the name 'Shepherd'."

"That's... surprising. Though, it explains why certain magical signs... occurred. Are we likely to meet?"

"Unfortunately Shepherd's family have a long-running feud with the Justice League of her world of origin. She doesn't agree, but, things you learn at a young age..."

Raven shakes her head.

"Shepherd. Might she be the young lady, in the robe, sitting at the table over there? The one with a crook leaning against the wall? And, a lamb under her table? Who's been glaring at me, then, stopping, closing her eyes, doing something like meditation?"

Shucks.

She spotted her.

---

Another early morning caller, though at least this one waited till after breakfast. A human-sized figure in an all-enveloping robe. Carrying something apparently wrapped in a sheep-skin. Tapping on the Tower's wards with a crook.

The wards say... powerful magic, but no obvious hostility. Full-alert, though. Titans go down, I lurk in the background, with... Mary. Ever since we... helped her, she's refused to answer to 'Amazo Girl'.

Door is opened, Titans go out, woman throws back her hood. Revealing the horned-demon shepherd, who we helped with her... husband problem. She flicks aside edge of the fleece, revealing a (black) lamb.

Who glares at everyone.

Ah.

---

Hospitality. Sharing of food and drink. The basis of civilization.

"I was impressed how well-hidden your trail, from home to here. Took me this long to riddle it."

Nods to Raven.

"But, I had good reason to find you. The one you healed, now she refuses to eat. Will do nothing but glare at people. Bites them if they get too close. Only wrapping her in her mother's fleeced-skin calms her."

"Her mother's skin?"

Beast Boy's quite alarmed.

"Aye. Our sheep breed in a strange way. They are immortal till they have young. Young that are healthy and likely to survive. So, for this lamb to be born, live, her mother had to die. It is the way of things. Only once in a century is one born whose mother doesn't die. Our flock grows slowly."

She nods.

"This one has decided to part from the flock. Her destiny lies elsewhere. So I bring her here."

She puts the lamb down. Unnamed One moves-up, sniffs at each of the Titans. Gives Cyborg a bit of a strange look. Shakes her head. Moves to me. My heart's in my throat. Sniffs. Turns away. To... Mary.

Sniffs her. Looks at her. Sniffs her, again.

Mary holds out a hand. The lamb sinks its teeth in. Not very deeply. Mary's skin's too tough.

"She likes me!"

Demon shepherd moves-up. Looks Mary over.

"You're a strange one. And, you need a name. I'll share mine with you. It wont diminish me."

Holds out her crook. In a way that hurts the eyes there's now two. Hands one to Mary.

"I name thee 'Shepherd'. May you guard your flock well."

Mary takes the crook, rather in a daze.

"Now, name your lamb."

---

Shepherd seems to have come to a decision. Picks up her crook. Walks over to our table.

Followed by her (black) lamb. Which, honest, does not flash red eyes at us, or show a hint of unsheepish teeth.

"May I join you? I think my self-control is sufficient. And, I'm the one who knows of 'Tomorrow Woman's problem."

Zatanna looks at the pair of us. We don't react. Nods to... Shepherd.

"Please do."

---

Shepherd explains that she's walked many worlds, seen Tomorrow Woman, and the Justice League, more than once. Seen her sacrifice herself to save them. Done some research. Discovered what might be going on.

Tomorrow Woman is an unknowing trap for the Justice League. Two mad scientists have... equipped her with a bomb designed to wipe the minds of all the League members.

But, she finds out about the bomb, uses it to save them from a unbeatable enemy, instead. Dying in the process.

Shepherd's of the opinion that if the League are warned of this enemy they'll be able to prepare. And, that if it's done with sufficient care and surprise, Tomorrow Woman can be de-bombed, without anyone dying.

Maybe she can then go, with the League... discuss things with the two scientists.

Shepherd says she'd like to see that.

Zatanna... approves of this. Thinks it fits with the aims of the League.

We plan.

---

A minor detail. Our plans look good. Simple but with enough flexibility.

Zatanna... asks to be introduced to the lamb. While carefully staying out of easy lunging range.

Shepherd looks a bit embarrassed. Plays with her fingers as she holds crook in both hands. Looks down.

"Please don't laugh. I know it's a silly name. But she seems to like it. It's..."

She pauses.

"Fang."

---

Afterwards, back at the Tower, I ask Raven to raise her best wards. Totally block magic from a small area, a ritual circle. In which we'll meditate.

Tis done.

Within the circle my mind slowly clears. The wards sucking all magic away from me. Raven looks more alert, too. We look at each other.

I break the silence.

"He is clever, isn't he?"

"Yes."

We think for a while.

"We never asked The Boys what they knew of Pure, did we? Never thought of grabbing some more demons from the dimensional paths, questioning them? We're... not being allowed to think clearly about Pure, are we?"

"No."

More thinking.

"We need to do some planning, away from the city, probably off-plane. Where whatever influence he's using doesn't reach. Is... it clever enough to prevent people from using magic to reveal its presence?"

Raven's thoughtful.

"I don't think it's 'clever' in the sense of being intelligent, more two subtle workings woven very carefully together. There's tricks like this used in the defences of some temples. This is just being done on a much larger scale."

"We make clear, firm, decisions here? Then, we'll be able to stick to them?"

Even more thinking.

Raven grins.

"I'm pretty sure Pure has no sense of humour. So, we make our decisions. Then. We encode them in a dirty limerick."

We grin at each other.

---

AN: I think it's a nice name. Why? Honest, a lamb isn't looking at me in a meaningful way.

AN: Limerick; should we hold a competition, for the best (worst) limerick about Pure's plans, and how to defeat them?

Spoiler: Some people like pictures...

Spoiler: you might think this is a 'lamb-bush'...

Lamb-bush?

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 24

"You called me 'Tina'. Tell me why. Now"

I may have just upset Oracle, while she was being Barbara.

Oops?

---

"I'm going to have to tell you a story..."

"I'm listening..."

"About a man, who, when he was a boy, had his parents murdered in front of him. Who swore an oath to fight crime. And to, never, never, kill."

Blank face.

But, I can read some of her other 'tells'. I'm pretty sure she's deeply shocked. And, I've now got the full attention of a deadly, upset, red-head.

Better hope my storytelling abilities are up to it, hadn't I?

---

"... and so, when he asked the family butler how could a normal human gain skills to match those with super-powers, said butler drew on his vast experience of the stranger places of the world. Introduced him to a man, who knew a man. Who might be prepared to train the boy."

I pause.

"As a shaman."

She's now shocked in a different way. But, I've got her thinking. Which is what I wanted.

"What does this story have to do with... 'Tina'?"

"Unfortunately the boy's teacher was unable to complete his training. Probably due to something like a nasty case of death. The boy brought his killer to justice, though. Got him tried by a jury of his peers. Which included the spirit of his dead teacher. I don't know what the punishment was, but I doubt it was... nice."

I pause.

She gestures for me to continue.

"His teacher's peers were... less liberal. Unwilling to complete his training. And, there're rules about the dead training the living. Might set bad precedents. So, there he was, maybe three-quarters trained. And, the books he could get were just not enough. He had to... improvise."

I look at her. Still blank-face.

"When he came to train his own pupils, a boy and a girl, he knew what to do. He'd even found ways to... improve things. But, mostly he kept to the traditional stuff. From the books. Fasting. Not sleeping. Special drugs. A 'spirit quest'. His innovation was the wings tattooed on their backs, using a special ink that would be invisible."

She swallows. Blank-face is under a lot of strain.

"I wont speak of the boy. His secrets are his own. The girl had blue owl-wings as her tattoo. She saw a vision of an owl, come to teach her how to fight, how to gain wisdom. The owl is a symbol of the Greek goddess Athena, Goddess of War, Wisdom and Handicraft. Who has oracles. 'Tina' is a pet name based on shortening Athena."

"You've been thinking again, haven't you? I'm guessing that story is based on knowledge gained outside this world. And, you'd be... very wise to avoid adding any names to any of the characters."

"Yes."

"On a totally different subject, Robin has a problem due to his teacher never having finishing his training, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

She thinks, for a bit.

"I'm going to have to do some careful research. I'm assuming this ties-in with the 'annoying priest'? The one you told me that you'd had to take previous-Robin, to Japan, to see?"

"Yes. You might want to ask Raven if you can borrow some of her shamanism books."

That gets me a... disbelieving look.

Then, a polite nod.

"Apology accepted. But..."

Gulp. Good job I don't have a weak heart or that look would've stopped it.

"We're going to be talking more about this."

She mutters.

"Pet names!"

I think... she's slightly blushing.

---

"Friend Geo? Would you do the shopping with me? Show me where you enjoy in the city?"

I can't really refuse that, can I?

"Let's go and see Raven. If a certain pattern is followed there'll be a magical attack at our destination. It'd be polite to warn her about that."

We do. Raven gives a nasty grin.

"Yes, I recall that incident from your memories. This time we may be able to use it to track-down Pure."

So, we shop.

---

Japantown, San Francisco.

I get to practice my Japanese, Kory enjoys the 'kawaii'; people will get presents. We get gifted, and being a princess still seems to help Kory handle it better than me. We take our break, eat and drink.

And, yes, the welcome banners have the 'bad luck' runes.

I touch the small talisman Raven gave me. A wash of shadow, and she's here. In all her grey-skinned glory. Bottled evil shadows. Slightly frustrated Kory, that Raven stole her fight.

Rather confused shopkeepers and shoppers. Who all want photos and/or autographs.

Yes, small-girl asks me for mine. Signed 'Sugoi'.

I'm not wearing my 'secret identity' glasses, you see.

Back to the Tower.

---

Of course, as we expected, bottled shadows give no lead to Pure. But, we had to make the attempt. Anything else would've been suspicious.

Ritual time.

We start in the 'dangerous rituals' area, in the basement. Permanently improve the wards and defences, there. Then, do as thorough a cleansing ritual as Raven, Shepherd and I can. Rest. Check the results.

The basement now seems to be free of Pure's mind-bending magic.

We can think about the problem clearly. Further improvement of the wards on the area, fixing little details we weren't clear-enough headed to notice before.

Looks... good.

Lock the door.

Strip.

Sky-clad ritual, to ward the whole Tower. It... looks good. All three of us are exhausted. There was an awful lot of power behind Pure's magic. We'll have to find-out how he managed that.

Assuming we got it right there shouldn't be an obvious hole in his coverage. But, if he tries a subtle enough probe he'll know what we've done. Got to hope his paranoia doesn't serve him too well. We are out to get him.

"You know", remarks Raven, "we could've probably done all this work from the med-bay?".

"Med-bay? What's that?"

We both look at Shepherd.

I knew we'd forgotten something...

---

AN: Shaman; because I'm nice like that.

AN: OK, this is the modern-day version of San Francisco's 'Japantown', but it may give you the general idea.

AN: Kawaii; just in case.

AN: I think this's SFW, but skyclad ritual nudity seems to offend some...

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 25

Demons. Raven's explaining them. Wont this be interesting?

Everyone's invited, but Beast Boy and Cyborg explained they were 'busy'. Apparently they've just got a new video game. And, it must be played. Now.

No one knows where Robin is. Maybe he's out in his Red X suit?

Starfire is here. And we've been joined by Roshi and Doctor Blue. Oracle's interested, and, she's dragged The Boys, Shem and Shad, along. The line-up's completed by Shepherd, with her lamb, Fang. Gina and Cosmo are also with us. Being dogs.

"First, one issue is that 'demon' is a technical term, among magi. The Boys are that sort of demon. Then, there's the common use of the term. Which is mixed-in with... certain religion's attitude to intelligent non-humans. Complicating things is that there's beings of immense power referred to as 'demons'. Some far above the gods."

She looks around. So far, no questions.

"Having a humanoid form that's 'weird' used to be enough to cause a being to be called a 'demon'. Some of the Fae got very annoyed about this. Having horns, goat-like legs and feet. Satyrs and fauns got annoyed. Then, beings that looked human but had strange powers. Homo Magi got annoyed. You hopefully get the general idea."

There's nods.

"Go back in time, to before the monotheistic religions of The Book, as some call them. Yes, that's the Old Testament of the Bible. 'Daemon' meant 'helpful spirit', and that term's been re-used in computer technology. A daemon was either made by a shaman, or later a priest or magi, or, sometimes, after death a mortal human or animal spirit might become one."

"So, that's where The Boys came from?"

"You'll have to ask them that, yourself, Oracle. That's their personal, and possibly private and secret, history. Given long enough some 'made' demons can become as complex as those based on born-spirits. It depends."

"I'm sure everyone and his dog knows our story." Yes, that grumble came from Shem. Shad elbows him in the ribs. Reasonably gently. Doesn't stop him rubbing the spot and looking aggrieved, though.

Raven ignores the sideshow.

"That deals with the ones roughly on the human-level. If you look at demons like my father, he's more powerful than many greater gods. Being evil makes him a 'demon', not the colour of his skin, his horns, his six-eyes."

She... changes. Now has red-skin, horns, six red-eyes, but is otherwise unchanged.

"This is another one of my shapes. If I look to my father's side of my ancestry. It isn't by its nature evil, but, might not be advised for shopping in the mall."

Kory looks a bit sceptical.

"I think with the right accessories it would work. Or, with a little effort you could be just another sort of 'alien'. As long as there's no aura of evil. And you are not carrying your flaming pitchfork."

"I do not own a pitchfork", returns Raven, with great dignity, "Flaming or otherwise".

She coughs. Concentrates for a moment, and her skin goes pink-ish. No more horns, only the single pair of (human) eyes.

"This shape follows my mother's line. Shape-shifting isn't uncommon among..."

She stops speaking.

Cosmo, grinning widely, dressed in just her robe, otherwise a dark-haired with pink-ish skin human child, is being chased by a snarling girl apparently about her five-year old look.

We've not seen this girl, before, and she has black skin with dark-red hair. Horn-buds.

Oh, and glowing-red eyes. Carnivore teeth. Is dressed in animal skins.

"Fang! Stop that!" Shepherd calls out.

A crook reaches-out and snags the second girl by the neck. She stops, Turns. Stomps back to Shepherd. Her eyes fading to dark human, hair covers horns, teeth less-pointed.

"She started it! She kept staring at me!"

"As I was saying. Shape-shifting isn't uncommon among those of... unconventional ancestry."

---

Leaving the presentation, I take Roshi to one side.

"I thought you should know... there's a 'off switch' for your swear filter."

He grins.

"I know. I found it while meditating. I quite like the swear filter. It gives me something to complain about. And, encourages me to be... creative in what I say. One of the nicer gifts I've got."

I pause, briefly just look at him. Shake my head, regather my wits.

"Also, if you've got any curses that you've not lost by dying and acquiring a new body, Raven and I'd be willing to try and fix them for you?"

Deep thought for a few moments.

"I'm... quite attached to my remaining curses. They're part of my history. All of them have a good reason for being what they are. Someday, I may be done with them. But, thank you. Not yet."

Oh.

---

I'm wearing a goatee beard. Because I'm 'evil'. And I'm not happy.

Nurf got Nurse to put it there with a 'cos mod' (cosmetic modification), which Nurse complained was an abuse of her medical facilities. I wanted it just glued-on, but, oh no, it had to be 'authentic'.

Beast Boy's idea. Enthusiastically supported by Cyborg. Came out of their brainstorming session, on how best to deal with Control Freak.

We're going to bribe him.

But, to get the bribe, I have to go visit previous time-line Control Freak.

Convince him to supply the goods.

---

"I'm not convinced you're an 'evil twin'."

Out of my dimensional pocket a ready-to-wear handlebar moustache. Twirl one end. Control Freak does a bit of a double-take.

"How about like this?"

He sighs.

"You're just not taking the game seriously. The 'Spock' ears don't help, either."

My shoulders slump.

"Those were alternate-universe Beast Boy's idea. He said they'd make me look 'more realistic'. Fit the whole 'Warp Trek' theme."

He purses his lips.

"I like the way he thinks... But, no. You're not an 'evil twin'. And, I won't help you 'destroy your enemy', my super-hero alternate."

"Pity. It was a nice story. Cyborg and Beast Boy had so much fun thinking it up..."

I sigh.

"OK. Truth. We want to avoid the fight in the video store with your earlier self. When my 'twin' was in this universe she was told what happened. I don't think anyone really enjoyed themselves, much. But, if your earlier self had a copy of your tv dimension remote control, in that first Titan's encounter..."

"Hmm."

He's obviously thinking about it...

"How about we agree to have a chase scene through the tv dimensions? Your alternate chases the Titans, they chase him, everyone has fun. And... I'll tell you where to get that training Raven can't give you, because she'd away... saving another universe, and's been replaced by a stunt-double."

"I thought she was looking a bit grey, lately. And, your replacement after your... local self got banished, she's... a bit... of an understudy."

He thinks a bit more.

"It's a third-season switcheroo, but I'll do it! As long as you promise to send me a video of the chase."

"Done!"

We shake hands. I pass him a business card.

"There's this Buddhist temple in Japan, you can get directions there from the Great Shrine at Ise. The priest is an expert at fighting evil spirits, and has all sorts of strange skills... I have to warn you, though..."

I look directly at him.

"He's very annoying."

---

"Harcourt Fenton Mudd."

There. I said it. He forced me to.

"Harry Mudd? That episode? Could be a bit tricky..."

Suddenly, he tries to look cunning.

"What's in it for me?"

"You were the one who said I should 'get something out of this for myself'."

"OK! I was just asking. My psychiatrist said I should 'consider the needs of others'."

"Would this psychiatrist be called 'Sonya'?"

He goes a little red. Then, whispers in a small voice, "yes".

"You might want to ask her what she likes. Ask her about... men who tie women to railway lines. What sort of... role-play she might enjoy..."

I twirl the end of the moustache I'm still wearing in a meaningful way.

"I'll... do that."

He looks thoughtful. Then, claps his hands.

"How much... detail do you want? A whole android?"

"You know, while the one I want to get a really good look at, full work-up, design notes, copy of the AI, is Norman, a spare Stella might be nice. And, I'd like a chance to do a thorough bio-scan of a... female gormagander. For... a friend."

"You really know your Warp Trek, don't you?"

"I'm a fan of Gerrold. You might like 'When HARLIE Was One', though... bits of it are rather X-rated."

"Right. Let's get on with the fun, then!"

---

AN: Goatee; but you likely knew.

AN: Switcheroo; all these strange words.

AN: Harry Mudd; nuff said.

AN: Yes, When HARLIE Was One does exist...

Spoiler: Yes, there is a video...

 

Raven's Replacement, Author Omake 5

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AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 25, 'Remotely Demonic'.

AN: Do you believe in 'spoilers'? If so, do not read this Omake. You've been warned.

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AN: Still here? OK, read on.

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Miss Carver. My maid. My Apprentice.

My 'hostage to fortune'.

All I had to do was say the wrong thing to the wrong person, and she would be dead. Or worse. 'Or worse' was a definite possibility.

She's a wooden doll, a Toy, like me. Possibly made by a rebel against my father, to be my companion, that rebel being her father. But, while flesh-and-blood was involved in me existing, though I currently have none of that, she was carved into existence. From wood.

I think.

That's one of those things I need to confirm, for myself. Without revealing any more of my possible plans than I'm happy with.

---

"Meeting my brother was... difficult."

"Yes, My Teacher and My Princess. But, I did what you asked. Hid from him. And, someone who tampers with the bed of a Princess is taking a big risk. So, I hid under it."

Did I mention she's... a work in progress? And, rather naive.

While my half-brother was being cautious, I doubt wrecking my possessions would greatly concern him. Though, if he thought our father was watching it all, maybe...

OK. She could have a good point.

"I'm glad we both survived. And, the experience was very useful in a number of ways. Confirmed what my father said of my brothers. Let me test that tiny private dimension we exhausted ourselves creating. Let me push my power to the limit."

What I don't tell her is I should have added 'and beyond' to that last statement. Exactly what would happen if I pushed myself too far, I don't know. I've got, I believe, immense reserves, locked away. But, if I reach the limits of even those, go beyond?

I might... permanently injure myself. My spirit. My essential self.

"Come. I want both of us to leave our bodies, without that 'special trick'. Leaving our bodies meditating, levitating. Then, I believe I've devised a way that might improve your power. But, I suspect it will be very painful. Are you willing to attempt this?"

"Yes."

---

I think... her spirit is now as large, as powerful, as an average human.

I'm working from memory, here. And, she's far more skilled with her spirit than that human. But, my father, my brothers. They'd defeat her with no effort at all.

Yes, it did hurt her. And, my empathy meant I felt that, too.

I'd been afraid I'd lost my empathy, my gift from my mother, with my physical, fleshy, body. Which, maybe rests back in the Tower, by Jump City. Or, maybe is dead and buried. Cremated. I just don't know.

Another possibility, it's being worn by another. Who is maybe pretending to be me. Then, there's that desperate half-done ritual I did, as I clung to my body. Who knows what resulted from that?

But, I feel my empathy trickling back. The psychic powers connected to it. My shadow, which is oh so useful. Feels like it was all... injured, but is now slowly healing.

I'm... a lot stronger. I willed a pot-plant into existence. While I was astral, with my Apprentice. Then, I reached across the dimensional barriers, to the physical. Forced the plant, and its pot, to exist physically. I'm... pretty sure it's stable, will last as long as a normal one would, in Toyland.

A major achievement, though, hopefully to an observer, trivial.

I'd considered creating a living body of some sort for myself. A copy of my original one would be the obvious choice. Maybe one for Miss Carver. But, the risks...

That observer, I suspect my father's watching. Or, he has someone else watching, for him. Instructed to call him when I do 'something interesting'. He might have set one or more of my brothers to the task. Though, if the visitor was representative, probably not.

He'd... cheat. Lie. 'Slack off' as Beast Boy would call it.

So, more likely an, observant and skilled, reliable minion.

But, we've more work to do...

---

I've worked with my Apprentice, on the astral.

We've crafted protective amulets, for both of us. To guard our wooden bodies, while we're away. When we return to them we'll be carving the physical forms of those amulets, tying the astral part to them.

It's... something I've invented. New, as far as I know. When I get home, to my library, I'll check. Probably an ancient trick.

I anticipate it being particularly effective.

Then, astral amulets made, I talk my Apprentice through the major ritual working we're both doing. Creating the framework of our own, personal, defences. Permanent wards that'll cloak us all the time, whether we're physical or astral. Tied to our spirits, not those wooden bodies.

My Apprentice... struggles. Fails, this time.

I've got my personal one in place. It... looks good. Solid and reliable. Strong but flexible, gives me plenty of room to grow inside it. I think I've invented the spirit defence that I spent so long searching for in ancient books.

Reminds me to balance book and practical research. I've none of my beloved library, here. So, it's all practical.

I've... noticed how the other Toys, and Fae, and talking animals, stuffed and fleshy, seem to be reacting to her. They... show her respect. Nod politely to her. I don't think there's any fear. Just she's... more real. Has a stronger presence.

Soon, I hope. Soon she'll be strong enough to travel with me in our dreams. To the Tower, by the Sea, with the Great City, loomed over by the Royal Castle. I want to show her the Titans, no matter their pitiful reduced state.

Teach her something of the size of problem we face. How large, how monstrous, is my father.

Hmm. That's a thought. Maybe my father has a library I can loot?

But, no, I don't want her to see him, yet. Maybe I can find an estate, or something, where one of my brothers rules. Let her glimpse one of them. See the power they wield.

Because, if she saw my father, it would...

Destroy her.

---

AN: Hostage to fortune; thought you might like to know.

AN: Still here? OK, read the above.

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AN: Do you believe in 'spoilers'? If so, do not read the above Omake. You've been warned.

Next >

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 26

I've been polite. I've been 'funny'. Now, it's time to get physical.

Not that you really can, when you're astral...

But, she agreed to this, I'd done my best to ensure she made an informed decision, now we'd have to live with the consequences.

Astral Oracle.

---

We'd discussed her study of shamanism.

She'd not realised it was so widespread, and fundamental. To both magic and religion. Not that, originally, there was any difference between the two. Nor, originally, was magic divided in categories, like 'elemental', or 'blood', or 'divine'.

It just was.

The conclusion she came to was that, even though it was not something she was comfortable with, she needed to know more about it. Know enough that she didn't make mistakes like... Robin has. The whole business of previous-Oracle's notes on dealing with the Joker (and sidekick). She wanted to understand that.

"Owl influence. Wisdom of Athena."

She made a face when I said that. But, reluctantly, acknowledged that the logic seemed to fit together.

So, she needed to know more about the astral than she could get from books.

She needed personal experience. Tonight. In her dreams. With someone she trusted.

Me.

---

Talking to her, while I was astral hadn't worked. Telling bad jokes, tickling her, feet and sides, nothing. One last thing to try before I have to use force. The Raven Special.

I've never experienced it myself, but my glass of ice-cold astral water just gave her a little shiver. I'd politely explained I was going for something scaled-up next, if she didn't cooperate.

Nothing.

So, a whole bucket of (astral) ice-cold water.

On her sleeping form.

So comfortable in her nice warm bed.

Hope she lets me live...

---

Naked Oracle.

Except for her green mask, and the tiny, blue, owl wings, on her back. In this form there's red-hair around the mask, not a fuzzed-out blur. And, my eyes are very firmly on her face.

Wordlessly I hand her the extra-fluffy (astral) towel. She dries herself. I'm reasonably sure from the way sinews're standing out on her neck those're death-glares coming my way. But, mask makes it hard to tell.

"You... seem to be lightly-dressed. Robin had the same problem, first time. When the annoying priest kicked him in the... fork. Bucket of ice-cold water was something Raven regularly experienced, in the middle of the night. As part of her combat-readiness training. She then had to fight for her life. At least your bed isn't wet."

Suddenly. Dressed in comfortable-looking jeans, a fluffy jumper, slippers. And the mask. I guess she'd never really established a costume for Oracle. Hands me back the towel, turns, looks at her sleeping body, lying on the bed.

"That's... me? My... body? Looks... peaceful."

"Yes. I'm pleased you seem to be fully conscious. Starfire and Cyborg weren't, without a lot of training. Beast Boy we never got to be properly conscious in astral form. Robin, he was like you. Though, he chose a Robin costume, not comfortable house-clothes."

She holds-up her arm, runs her other hand over the fluffy sleeve. Looks down at her legs, in jeans, lifts the front of her jumper, to reveal what I'm guessing is an exercise leotard, below.

"I... feel real. Is this all fake?"

"This is how your mind thinks of your body. Clothes are a sort of extra layer of body. Optional, unless they are trained, drilled into you, as something part of you. I noticed your mask was there, even though you were otherwise unclothed. That means it's pretty fundamental to you."

"I... didn't even realise I was wearing it."

She reaches-up, removes the mask. It fights back, sticks to her face. But, she's stubborn. It's now in her left hand, she shakes her hair loose. It's Barbara. I think. She's... trying expressions, feeling them on her face, with her right hand.

"Would you like a mirror?"

"Yes please."

We're only a step from the physical, but I give it a go. Nothing. Then, I concentrate on this being her room, and she wants a mirror here. Reluctantly, an astral mirror forms. Full-length. Bottom end on the floor.

"Thank you."

She moves before the mirror, examines her face, multiple expressions. Dons, removes the mask, again. Does slow exercises, watching herself.

"Looks... realistic."

"You've got a strong will. You're making it realistic. Try a little meditation. Listen to your breathing, your pulse. See if you can mentally feel every part of your body. If any of the tiny pains we feel... 'in the flesh' are present. Scrapes, bruises, strains."

She focuses, relaxes.

"There's... nothing. It's... all perfect."

"That's because your astral body is being created by your expectations. Are you ready for any more?"

"Yes. Bring it."

"We're going to experiment, see if you can make your hand penetrate objects you know to be solid. Then, maybe, work-up to you walking through closed doors. If you do really well, maybe a little levitation. Ready?"

"Yes!"

---

With Max's permission I've taken... Mary along to see him.

We walked the dimensional paths, to Tokyo, Japan, wearing our robes, as anonymously as we could manage. Then, found a quiet place (always a good trick in Tokyo), stepped-out into the physical, with our robes-as-scarves.

Went book-shopping. Well, manga, really. Got myself some more robot ones. Some on martial arts and magic, while I was at it. I... realised I'd been stupid.

"Do you have Japanese?"

"I... cheat. There's a surface-telepathy trick. Learned it... long ago. As long as there's open minds around that know the language that I don't, I can tap their expertise. Sense the associated images, flashes of linked concepts. It isn't perfect, but it mostly works."

"You've... permission to skim my surface mind if that'll help you. Making language mistakes... could be bad. Try and not tread on the local culture, too, if that's possible."

She nods.

"Thank you."

---

"This is Mary. She's working with me, learning more about a wide range of things. Including, in my opinion, robots. So, I thought of you."

"So kind." Was that sarcasm? There's hope for Max, yet.

"Does she need to be tested?"

He gazes off, communing, I suspect, with the bear.

"Apparently no. You're, as her teacher, responsible for whatever she does."

My joy is unbounded.

---

Nothing went horribly wrong.

Talked Max and Mary through some of the robot repairs. I'm pretty sure Mary was skimming my mind to help her understanding. I guess... that's acceptable.

Max had a special treat. He's brought-in some of the stranger tools his cousin had, that he couldn't figure-out himself.

I study them. Make a few notes.

"There's... at least three different sets of technology here. Come from different development paths. Possibly highly alien. One of the tools has been heavily modified to make it human-usable. I... suspect the original user was... inorganic."

I indicate a tool that looks like a human-style handle, with a power connector, attached to something made of flowing metal.

"Looks like the original user could generate their own power, the power connection and converter handles that. Then, I suspect the information flowed straight into their nervous system. From some sort of detailed magnetic scan. There's another converter, a summary screen, an external signal feed. Not... bad work."

"How did you know?"

"I've... a talent for figuring-out strange technology. An 'eye', my teacher called it."

I cough, rather embarrassed.

"Here's my notes on the required power and signals interface."

"Thanks! How can I pay you back?"

"Well... do you have a junk pile? Simple robots you've got too many of? Suitable for a student to mess with?"

I nod towards Mary.

"I... think I can find something. It'll take me a couple of days to sort out. Document, crate-up."

"I did wonder... Did you visit that temple."

"Yes, you were right. He can help me. Has already fixed a couple of major issues. But, there's one thing I feel I must tell you."

"Yes?"

"He's annoying."

---

AN: Shamanism; you know the drill.

AN: Astral projection, because...

 

Late Omake - Author Omake 5

I'm afraid this is the third time in succession I've put a 'place holder' in because I'd not time, over the weekend, to write an Omake before the next Episode. I'm not very fond of that pattern, or the fact I've no current Episode buffer. It's not sustainable. I... may have to re-think things.

There wasn't time to publish Author Omake 5 before Episode 26. While that was only there for less than a day, you might've read that and been confused. The real Omake has now been posted.

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 27

Beast Boy is broken. It's quite clear. So we've called-in a consultant.

Animal Man.

---

Initially it looked like Beast Boy was OK.

He talked a good talk, seemed to be behaving like his previous self. Was going along with the training regime. Learning, practising, meditation. Using his animal shapes. His spirit looked OK when we examined it astrally.

But, when you looked at the whole picture, something he'd said about Cyborg seemed to ring true. He was 'trying too hard'. He always wore his costume, never casual clothes. There was a... slightly desperate air to his video gaming.

And, his off-the-wall humour. Strained, rather lacking in off-colour jokes. No strange references to animals, his weird past, with the Doom Patrol.

Beast Boy Lite, as Cyborg would say. And, very rarely, Garfield.

He was using the same shapes, again and again. Mostly the smaller, simpler, ones. None of the big stuff, nothing more than about a couple of hundred kilos, 440 pounds. We had to look...

Inside him.

It didn't help that both Raven and I rather found his spirit form scary. But, even that, was far more human-scale that the lumbering elemental force he was before.

It was scary, yes, but man-in-a-rubber-suit scary, not power-of-all-Nature scale.

Yes, we were still scared.

---

We'd got his permission. Cheerfully given. To walk his dreams.

We made it clear we might learn things about him, his deepest secrets, things he wanted no one to know. He waved a hand, told us to go ahead, maybe we could help him write his autobiography, someday.

So, we 'girded our loins'.

Dived-in.

---

Not much is known about Animal Man.

In the super-hero community, that is.

Usual origin of powers gained from interaction with aliens. But, animal powers? That's... a bit weird.

Raven says he turned-up when she was researching shamanism. His power looks to be... spiritual, not physical, though it manifests in a physical way. Rather like Beast Boy's.

He... reminds me, in a way, of John Constantine.

The street magician, the city shaman. Someone Raven's told me I should do my best to avoid. Because he's heavily involved with Hell, the mostly Christian-styled one. And, he's under a demonic curse where all his friends die.

Also, Constantine's, supposedly, not a very nice man. Maybe well-meaning, but foul-mouthed and cynical. Doesn't 'play well with others'.

We don't know much about Animal Man, but he's supposed to be a pretty nice guy. A vegetarian activist, someone pushing for animal rights. Again, Beast Boy parallels.

So, probably someone willing to help. Someone we'd be willing to work with. Someone, in more than one sense...

A hero.

---

Beast Boy's... hollow.

The green monster? Sort of a shell. Inside there's something that looks a lot more like my mind. A library, with two harried attendants. Raven and me. There's fragments of our spirits, running around, consulting a medium-sized library which seems to be exclusively about Beast Boy.

And, the attendants aren't happy.

They're doing their best but they look worn, frail. I... get the strong impression they don't like their job. That they're doing it out of duty. And, they've little more still to give. They're... dying.

With them dies Beast Boy. His body will very likely follow the death of his spirit. Not so much 'keeping him healthy for the return of his true self', there. Certainly going to make our 'business as usual' facade fail.

Yes, we could stuff his body in the med-bay. Put him 'on ice'. But, doing that, that'd mean...

We'd failed.

---

We've talked to Animal Man.

He introduced himself as 'Buddy Baker'. Not normal superhero practice. Most guard their secret identity with a fanatic fervour. He... just gave us his. Is his family OK with that?

I... ask. He shows me his... bill-fold? American for 'wallet'. Pictures of wife, two kids, an older boy, younger girl.

Weird.

Explaining the problem. He's... puzzled by Beast Boy. Associates having a green skin more with plants. There's something called 'Swamp Thing'. A... plant elemental.

But, he says, anything he can do to help. He'll do his best to act as an astral guide, to the source of Beast Boy's power.

But, he's really concerned. We're dabbling in things he doesn't understand. Messing with spirits, the fundamental nature of humans, all creatures. Do we know what we're doing?

We explain, we feel there's little choice. Sketch the shape of the battle with Pure. Reveal... that the spirits, the souls, of all the Teen Titans have been stolen. That, if he realises what's going on, Trigon'll know he's already won.

Will walk-in, take-over, as physical and spiritual ruler of Earth.

That, we're running a desperate bluff. With the world on the line. Outside him, and Oracle, only the Justice League knows how bad the mess is.

He's... impressed. Says that just makes it more important he helps us. Like I said.

He's a hero.

---

We've got a hunk of Beast Boy's hair.

And, some of his saliva, finger-nail parings. We've even some of his blood. Yes, I know that's risky. All made up into a mommet, like Zatanna had of Raven.

We've done our best, ritually enchanted it. It... looks pretty good. Based on straw, but now it looks like a tiny version of Beast Boy, costume and all.

Animal Man got to watch the ritual, Raven thought that best. Seeing as he'd be involved in using the tool. He, later, said he was... impressed. That we made magic look more... natural, part of the world, than he'd seen before.

We're in the astral.

Animal Man easily joined us. Said it was nice to work with other heroes who knew something of the place. And, the doll's become a tiny Beast Boy. One who spoke, said was willing to help our quest.

And, he's riding on Animal Man's head.

I've... got a puppy, now a little large for this sort of thing, in my robe pocket. Guess we weren't going to get to leave Cosmo behind. Not many cosmic-powered puppy-sitters in our address books.

Where next?

Who knows?

---

AN: Vertigo; sorta not-quite-sideways DC Comics, for 'mature readers'. Warning, some of it gets pretty violent and sexual. In ways some adults can't take. So, NSFW.

AN: Loins; not sure what lions would do if you tried to gird them...

AN: Mommet, AKA 'poppet' Maybe you wondered if we'd see any more of these?

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 28

Tonight. In his dreams. We're going to check Beast Boy.

But, before then, we're looking over Raven's tools.

Trying to figure-out if any of them might help. Not only help the Titans, including Beast Boy, but help solve the larger problem. Pure having stolen the spirits of the Titans, and we having no way to find where they've gone.

More precisely...

Where is Raven's spirit?

---

The Raven who's here, the one sitting with me. She's the child of Raven, and me. Raven provided the body, I the spirit.

But, where did I come from?

Best as we can tell Raven's summoning... copied me. From my original self, just as she arrived... Home. Not just my physical body, but also my spirit. So, I'm Raven's child, created by her summoning of someone who might be her Apprentice.

And I, in turn, created Raven-who's-here, now.

I'm Raven's child. And mother of the Raven who's sitting in front of me.

Bit of a strange realisation. Though, CMO Nurf called me, and her, 'Raven's daughter' when she claimed her CMO role. I thought that a... bit strange. Her psychic powers, I guess.

Making... Raven-who-is-lost both mother and grandmother of Raven-who-is-here.

My head hurts...

---

The disconnect is the summoning spell.

That magic created my spirit. No normal magic, summoning or otherwise, should be able to do that. Except, blood magic, spirit magic.

So, Raven and I, we're studying the books Raven-the-summoner used to create the spell, the summoning ritual. She was in a terrible hurry, used... short-cuts. Things... you're strongly advised never to do.

Used her own blood to draw the ritual circle, around her. To power the summoning.

Wow.

---

Raven... faintly remembers this, now we've worked it out.

That time's blurred in her memory. Magical overload, she thinks. When I entered her spirit-empty body it was unwounded. Raven thinks sealing the ritual circle, around her body, healed those wounds.

Though, there's other possibilities.

We think... the details're unimportant.

---

Drawing out the ritual circles.

In Raven's carefully cleansed and purified room. Not using anyone's blood.

We're using the books, corrected based on my allegedly perfect memory. Raven... made mistakes, some of the drawn symbols are wrong, or blurred. That changed the meaning of the ritual. Potentially, disastrously.

From my memory of previous-Raven, in my previous time-line, the ritual she used to summon her potential Apprentice, there's some interesting differences. I've carefully sketched her ritual diagram.

Raven, in that world, was in a summoner's triangle. Her (potential) apprentice, the summonee, in a binding ritual circle.

The local ritual, both in circles. The summonee circles match, pretty exactly, looks like both Ravens had those already drawn. The triangle matches the books, with some clever alterations. We note these, for future reference.

The circle local-Raven, my summoner was in... That's a mess. A drawn-with-blood hurried mess. Honestly, it shouldn't have worked.

At all.

---

From Raven's memories, her mother, her grandmother, brute-forced the summoning. Burned her remaining magic, threw her psychic powers, everything at it. Held nothing in reserve.

Almost certainly damaged her spirit. Maybe fatally. If she survived it would be as someone... maybe with no magical power at all.

We just can't know.

However. That's speculation. We've figured it out. We've got what we wanted, what we'll need. The tool used to draw her blood, that she used for her ritual circle. Raven's...

Ritual knife.

---

Nice idea. We've got the knife. But, we can't use it.

The... dimensional flows aren't right.

A bit of a walk around, in the appropriate local dimensions, I can see, with Third Eye magic-sight, things wouldn't work. We'll need to wait, probably a day or two, for any chance of success. Longer if we want the best chance.

Annoying.

Still, we've plenty to do.

Raven's got more research, book acquisition. I need to liaise with Oracle, check Robin's not doing anything too stupid. Check our honey trap, for Lex Corp, in Metropolis. Spend some time with Nurf, I've been rather neglecting her.

And I guess, some time, I need to track-down Terra.

I'll... do that now!

---

Robin's... OK, but looking a bit shifty.

I'll ask Oracle to check on what he's been doing, whether we need to take any... measures. Last time I checked he was moving ahead with his Red X suit plans. Now he's 'acquired' the material to power it.

I'm... concerned.

There still far too little we know about that suit.

---

Kuro Industries seems OK.

There's a big press conference, in a few days. A product launch of our robo dogs. An invite to appear on tv. Will need to decide if I'm the one on stage, what's planned with the show producers.

It'll be... fun.

I don't think.

---

Nurf... wants to take a trip.

Invite Oracle along. To my previous time-line. Make a few explanations. Maybe smooth a few, ruffled, feathers.

Oh. And, she wants Shepherd along. Says she'll be 'needed'.

I'm not worried.

Not. One. Little Bit.

---

"I've managed to get an invite. To the local university. Medical department. As a... 'foreign doctor'."

Shepherd and I... look at Nurf. What's she up to?

"I'm taking the pair of you along. You're my nearly-graduated student, Geo. You're my just-started student, Mary. We'll have so much fun!"

She grins, widely, at us. Mary and I swap uncertain smiles.

Switches to serious.

"We need access to the university, on multiple levels. The library, the labs, the bookshop. I smell Pure there. Yes, I listened to the tales of your visit. I'm reasonably sure we'll need a relationship, in this world, too."

She coughs, hand before mouth. Not forced. At all.

"And... all the dynamics are different. Geo, you're one of the teachers of the Apprentice. Mary, you, of course, are Raven's Apprentice. Geo... I'm sorry. I'm... pretty sure you'll have to give the Ship to Mary. Train her enough in astral projection, dimension walking, so she can make it her home."

I'm... not happy. I'm got a lot of emotional investment in my version of the Ship. My Workshop World. Yes, it's currently... unfurnished, but I was really looking forward to using it, again.

"We need to do... some preparation. That's why we need to visit your previous time-line. The paired Oracles provide a solid link. Raven, here, is your link back. I think... we'd better get her to keep an eye on Cosmo. It... might be bad if she followed you."

Nurf's... been listening carefully to descriptions of how dimension walking works. Then, deducing details I'd not told her. She couldn't learn it, herself, but she knows my restrictions.

"We use one of your no-time tricks, so not to interfere with your... busy evening. I'd... advise you're well-rested for when you return. We're visiting the hospital, after lunch."

More of her visions of possible futures?

We go. Explain to Raven. Watch her grab Cosmo. And Fang. Leave Shepherd's crook. Grab a slightly-bemused Oracle. Pack.

Mary... obviously wants to tell us something. She looks... guilty.

I feel... I'm forgetting something. But, hopefully it'll keep. So, we...

Leave.

---

AN: I wonder what Geo's forgetting. Can you work it out?

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 29

"Let's get this right. You're me. And she's Captain Geo."

"Yes. And no."

"Could you confuse that for me a bit more?"

"I'll do my best..."

---

We're in my previous time-line. In the Tower. In the med-bay.

We arrived outside the door. Apparently the defences are so good that even if you really know what you're doing you can't arrive in there.

Ring the 'doorbell'. Get answered by Nurf. Local Nurf. Doctor Blue. CMO Nurf, just as my Nurf is, but CMO for the med-bay we're standing outside.

For extra confusion we've got a couple of Oracles with us. One from home, who we'd dragged along with us, and the local one. They're both wearing identical green masks with otherwise fuzzed-out heads. Generously, one, who came with us, has pinned-on a badge marked 'Visitor'. They're otherwise both in... engineering clothes.

So, visitors, Nurf, Oracle, Mary and me.

And, for (I think) their mutual amusement, visitor-Nurf's describing the situation to local-Nurf.

---

"You may recall Geo and you exchanged backup crystals?"

"Yes..."

"I'm a product of that crystal and a servitor provided by our version of Nurse, from our version of the med-bay from the 'Seed of Life'. All mixed-together via magical ritual performed by our Raven, our Cyborg, and this Geo."

"Right. So, you're not a servitor-avatar of your Nurse? Changed to human-size by Raven splashing magic around? Like me?"

"No. Also, I've not spent a year on the Ship. Except my memory of the time you spent there."

"This is making a little more sense, now. I think I get who you are. Who's the Geo? She... feels, psychically, a lot like my Geo. Though... maybe more powerful?"

"I'm unsure how much your Oracle..."

Visitor-Nurf indicates the Oracle not wearing a 'Visitor' badge, who nods.

"... has told you about our... mess?"

"Not a lot, except you seemed to be from an earlier time than us. And, you'd not yet de-Joker'd your world."

"Joker situation's handled. Using information your Oracle gave. Things're... more complicated, though. Pure's earlier attempt on the Titan's, via Puppet King... succeeded. Geo arrived after he'd won. The details are... messy, but, in essence, this isn't your Geo, but she's got her memories."

"Someone else made from a backup crystal? Far as I know no one's used the crystal Geo trusted me with."

"Not sure I fully get it, myself. But, let's keep it simple. Fortunate magical accident."

"My Geo, my captain, got... Home? Been reunited with her family? Got her life back?"

"We... believe so. What Geo saw looked that way. Safe arrival, at her workshop. Tokyo, Japan."

"That's... good. Right. Why are you here? Who's the red-headed young lady I don't know?"

"This's Mary. She's..."

Our Nurf pauses, looks at each of us, nods.

"Raven's Apprentice."

---

The med-bay. Tea and a light snack. Nurf hosting, a large flat-screen over the med-hub also showing her, drinking tea and snacking.

Being socially 'human'.

"Just to be quite clear. Geo isn't Raven's Apprentice. Mary's it, instead?"

"Yes."

"Mary's... someone summoned by Raven?"

"No. Arrived under her own power. Got... a crude way of travelling the dimensions. And, effectively, an unfortunate past which is... cursed."

Mary speaks up.

"I've actually been magically cursed, more than once. Most of them I've been able to shrug-off, break. One that's sticking, I think, from my dealings with the lizards, an 'interesting times' curse."

I recall how much trouble that curse caused me. All the fun we had...

Oh. I've a nasty feeling I know what I forgot.

"Mary? Did you... do a magical ritual? To... unlock your non-combat magic? Did a mini-Robin appear? Say his name's 'Larry'?"

"Yes... Thought I might tell you before we left, but everyone seemed in a terrible hurry."

I look at our Nurf. She does a double-shoulder gallic-type shrug.

I sigh.

"We're, which probably means me, going to need to track-down our Control Freak. Make the offer, the deal, I agreed with the Control Freak of this world. Ah. By the way..."

I look at local Nurf.

"Something I should know?" That's a particularly aggressive eyebrow raise.

"I... needed something to trade with him. So I told him... Sonya might like men who tie women to railway-lines. While twirling the ends of their handlebar moustaches."

(Local) Nurf thinks. Carefully.

"You sliced that one rather finely, didn't you? I'll let you off. After all, I'm 'Sonya', so I can make that judgement. Maybe Sonya should tie him to a railway-line while twirling her moustache?"

I shudder. Not an image I like.

"In payment, I got a thorough bio-scan of a space-whale. Low-animal intelligence, capable of acting as life-support for human space-travellers. Here's your copy."

Hand-over a (large) recording crystal.

Our Nurf coughs.

"Yes, I've a copy for you, too. Was you I thought of, when I made the request to Control Freak."

I turn back to local-Nurf.

"Thanks. But, you still haven't told me."

She looks, forcefully, at our Nurf.

"Why Are You Here?"

---

There's... some Hmm-ing and Haa-ing.

Then...

"I wanted to show Mary what success looks like. How you're one with the med-bay, the med-hub. How you're your own CMO, Chief Medical Officer."

"Riiight. That's not the case on your world?"

"No. Nurse... doesn't trust me. Didn't have time to get used to magic, the Titans. The month, alone, with Kory and Geo, the second half with just Geo. She's... also younger than us. A couple of hundred years, I think. Didn't have time to think-over Raven's offer. Yanked from her world straight to the med-bay."

"I... can see how that'd be a problem, Culture shock. Lack of agency. I'm... guessing you offered to sync minds with her? That... she refused?"

"Yes. She doesn't like or trust me. Doesn't believe we're basically the same person, no matter how much I show knowledge of our history. I think... she thinks it's all some sort of... trap."

"Geo's", she nods at me, "her captain?".

"Yes. I think we're going to have to transfer the captaincy to Mary. CMO role as well. I'm training her in doctor-ing, but, unsure it'll be quick enough. We may need to... use some sort of trick, speed things up."

"Mary gets to take your Nurse, after you stuff her into a human-sized servitor-avatar, to your version of the Ship? Perform year-long anal-stick-removal surgery?"

"Yes."

"There's more, isn't there?"

"Yes. We need to meet your... Geo-substitute. The one your Control Freak told our Geo about. I... feel she's part of the puzzle."

"One of those feelings?"

"Yeah. So, can we?"

"She's in Tokyo. At... Kuro Manor. Raven's transported her here, for visits, then home again. She's making good progress, but mainly astral projection."

Our Nurf looks at me.

"We'll have to help her, then, wont we?"

---

"You're the Geo who got banished Home? By the Raven who's off saving the universe?"

I'm... at 'stately' Kuro Manor. In my opinion, somewhere, there's a higher-power laughing her head off.

No, I haven't asked to see the 'Bat Cave', hidden below the manor. Or looked for a bust of Shakespeare in the library.

I'm talking to 'Geo Kuro', who seems to be pretty rich. And's, according to Control Freak, my 'understudy'. She seems... naive, unfinished. But, quite determined. And, wearing Best Boots.

"It's complicated, I'm a version of her that didn't actually get Home. Got sent to a different Raven. An earlier one."

"Oh. That must've been sad for you."

"I've... got used to it. There's work to do. Guessing you're enough like me to understand that."

She nods.

"I'm proposing to show you how to dimension walk. Then, if you agree, Mary copies your powers, including that new understanding. Should mean she can do the job she needs to. Are you willing?"

She thinks, carefully. Then nods.

"Yes. I trust you."

We do it.

---

AN: Gallic shrug; though I don't think Nurf intends it to be rude.

AN: Handlebar moustache; you need to know.

AN: Lack of agency; tends to affect your decisions, how you see the world, a lot.

AN: You might like to look at a few Raven Lunacy Omake. This one might interest. Also, the final episode, the Epilogue.

AN: Think this makes sense, but there's more than one of a few too many characters.

Spoiler: OK, yes, there's a video!

Spoiler: And, another video!

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 30

Walking On The Moon. Doing it again. This time, I've brought two Oracles.

I can remember walking, on this Moon, with local Oracle. But, that's memories of Geo-who-got-Home. Arguably, I didn't do it. Visitor-Oracle, walked the Moon orbiting our Earth. Not this one.

Different, don't have a Raven. I think. Instead we've a couple of (CMO) Nurfs. My 'understudy', Geo Kuro. Completing the group, Mary. No strange animals.

Which is... pleasant.

Raided local-Nurf's stores, for environment shields. Also, I've Raven's shield bracelet, local-me's one from her Raven.

It's... always possible local-Raven (the substitute) is lurking about. Somewhere. Too shy to join us. Which, if that's the case, is a bit sad.

Then, there's our excuse for being here...

---

Total speculation, but I'm guessing...

Man with Book, chained to him? Associate, Lady with Ankh? Could he be pulling a our strings?

That's Nurf's reasoning, for trying to 'follow the plot'. You don't want it to roll-over you, instead. Her 'mysterious' psychic powers say, 'Play The Game'.

I'm... not completely happy, with this. But, no one controls all elements of their life. You fit-in, with changing times, those around you. Stop moving? That's because you're dead.

Nurf says I'm 'Too cynical'.

But. Why we're here.

This's payment/reward, for Geo Kuro.

---

We'd meditated, together.

Done a magical ritual to boost her fledgeling Third Eye, help her figure-out 'the walk'. As we go dimension walking.

Then, she tries it, herself. Should've guessed. Third-time a charm.

Maybe I'm soft-hearted, but didn't want her to be... 'trained' by someone like Master Roshi. Have a near-death experience. Yes, it worked, I inherited the results, but I didn't have to like it.

Also, teach her, get Mary to copy the results. Two birds with one stone!

Occurred to me, seeing her study-room, she's a lot of medical books. Maybe Mary'll pick-up some doctor-ing?

Next, just to make sure, three-way ritual. Miss Kuro and Mary agree what'll be copied, write a description, the three of us attempt to tweak Mary's copying ability. It... all seemed to go pretty well. Need to test things, get Mary grilled by Nurf. But, apparent success!

So. Reward. And, major test.

Follow the Japanese Moon Watching path, Lunar-wards. Local Nurf with Geo Kuro. Our Nurf with Mary. I take the two Oracles, run around, check no one gets too lost. Easy!

Well. Not 'easy', but nothing disastrous happened. Only slight burns. Med-bay'll easily fix them.

---

On The Moon.

Bounce-walking. Gunpowder-smell. If you force some dust through your shield. Photos of Earth.

Actually...

That's not the right Earth. Radio collar strongly suggests we're somewhere else. Maybe Earth with no superheroes?

No problem. Pretty sure can get us back. But... no one to target. And, no (obvious) Raven to turn-to for help.

Hmm. Local Nurf is linked to her med-bay. Look closely enough, follow that.

Begs the question... What's our Nurf linked to? Need to carefully check. Might've... unfortunate consequences.

Still. On The Moon.

Nothing can kill that good mood. Happy grins both Oracles are wearing, under their masks. No Moon Cheese (I checked). It's...

A Grand Day Out.

---

Back in the med-bay. There's (shy) Raven lurking in the background. Geo Kuro's... standing pretty close to her. Huh. It's their life.

Two Nurf's team-up on Mary. Watched by two Oracles. It's... gruelling. Sometimes, an Oracle will throw-in a forensic-style question.

I... wouldn't want to be in Mary's shoes.

She's... obviously a student, but seems to have a solid grounding. Not... bad. Obviously more work to do. Probably enough to keep Nurse happy, even if she doesn't learn any more, before Ship Year.

Mary's not looking too bad, afterwards.

Something strikes me. Did she get any alchemical technology skills? Careful questions, and, yes, she's got the basics. Presumably cross-over with medical matters. That'll... be interesting.

Go out for a meal, in the city. Locals in secret id, visitors heroic. I'm 'Sugoi', Geo Kuro. Geo. We've a Raven, mostly hiding in her robe, as well.

Nice round-off to our visit.

Having a good memory, I pay, book us into a hotel.

For a good night's sleep.

---

"So, you're a foreign doctor? Your English is very good."

Medical administrator. Needs politeness lessons. That was Garfield-quality.

"I'd... prefer not to say where I'm from. There's... still bad feelings."

Nurf's done pretty well, so far. She's dark-haired, Middle-Eastern skin-tone. Maybe North Africa. Not an area I know much about, but, I think, 'Third World'.

"How wide is your medical experience?"

"I've got good genes. A lot older than I look. Yes, worked with advanced medical tools. Some... weird science stuff, too. I've done surgery. The hard way."

"Miss Brown? I'll take-over."

An older teacher and doctor, I recognise from my previous time-line. He's obviously had enough. Up till now just quietly watching, listening. No longer.

By the way.

Yes, we're back home. Our afternoon university appointment.

"Thank you for your assistance. I'll handle the rest of their visit."

She gets up, slowly sinking-in she's... made a mistake. Forced smile, head-nod, she's gone.

"I'll admit I'm curious, myself. But, if you don't want to talk about it..."

"Yes, it was a bad time. I'd refused to help torture someone, an 'Enemy of the State'. They'd... got upset, about that. Then, a bomb exploded. Lucky to survive with just a couple of broken arms. Half-trained nurse. Talked her through field-surgery. Stopped a... policeman dying. Interesting day."

He nods, "Thank you for explaining".

"So, what do you think of my students? Geo? Mary? Prepared to fit them in, somewhere?"

"Pretty sure they can, informally, sit-in on lectures. Watch practical sessions. I'll see what I can arrange, later in the term. We've generally a few drop-outs by then, so, spare resources."

"I'd... rather more to do with weird science that I might've implied. May I make a donation? For... research?"

His eyebrows raise. "Certainly!"

"Geo, the bag!"

"Yeth, Math-ter!"

People look at me. Give a weak grin. Open the (cricket) bag.

Pull out what looks like a rolled-up body bag, with something high-tech, quite heavy, at the top.

Nurf narrates.

" 'Sus an' unit. Self-contained. Self-powered. By... weird science. Put terminally-injured, or freshly-dead, in, they don't get any worse. Breathing and heart stops, but also, any decay. No biology in the bag, very little chemistry, normal physics. As long as the bag's closed."

"I'm assuming there's a downside?"

"Yes. Open the bag, there's a good chance shock will finish the dying process. Unless an opening process involving a larger, more elaborate, externally-powered, weird science device, is used. Yes, I'm donating one of those to you, as well. Once it's been thoroughly checked-out."

Pretty sure I know who's checking...

"How many of these... 'sus an' bags?"

She counts on her fingers.

"Five to start with. They're reusable, just give them a thorough warm soapy water clean, rinse. Maybe another two bags, later. Again, I want them thoroughly checked, first. Once you seal the bag, they're air and water-tight. Don't try and damage them and they're good at room-temperature, indefinitely."

"Good lord. Amazing. I'm assuming they'll stretch the 'critical hour' indefinitely?"

"Yes. But, I'm guessing you'll only use them on..." She has a look-round. "Trainee corpses?"

He grins at her.

"Correct. See you understand medical humour."

He gets up.

She holds out a hand.

"You'll want to test them. I recommend inserting a live lab rat, close the bag. Open the bag, good chance you've a dead rat, no obvious cause of death. Sooner or later, you'll get a shaken but live one. Same should apply no matter how long you leave the bag closed. I don't recommend testing it on medical students."

They grin at each other.

"We can do the tour now. I'll say, now. Don't see any problem with your two students coming here."

There goes a lot more of my time...

---

AN: Walking On The Moon; worth another listen, I think. (And, I quite like the video. )

AN: Here's a fun list of phrases for you...

AN: Could Geo be referencing this?

 

Raven's Replacement, Author Omake 6

< First
< Previous

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 30, 'Doctor Moon'.

---

A doctor wants to call. At my Royal Tower. He's sent me his card.

"Doctor Az. Physician to the Noble, and All In Need."

Yes, I'm guessing it's a 'he'.

A little... unusual. Probably not from my father's court. They'd just barge-in. I think. Though, after what I did to my brother, maybe not. I'm... curious.

Send back a note.

"Please visit."

---

"Call me 'Uncle Az'."

Maid's hiding in the next room. What's she to do if doctor turns nasty? Don't know.

But, at least, might give her a chance to run-away.

She's... more powerful than when we started. Her Apprenticeship. How powerful? Not sure. Nothing to compare with. Except memories.

I think... she's, maybe, as powerful as I was, when first started teaching myself magic. I'd sneaked in, to the Temple of Azar, back in Azarath. I was... eight? Nine?

No seasons in Azarath, but that fitted with my ceremonial birth-days. Call it nine.

Found myself dreaming bout Azarath.

Woke, a few nights ago, recalling my combat training. Bucket of ice-cold water, middle of the night. Out of my soaked bed. Fight for my life.

The martial monks were strict. But, they wanted me to live. Have a chance to fight, for my life.

When Trigon came.

Everyone knew you couldn't fight Trigon with your fists, weapons. You needed to use your mind, your spirit. So, physical training, education, spiritual training. Meditation. Learning to use everything you had.

For me, that included... magic. And, the empathic powers I'd gained from mother.

Monks taught me to read and write. Ignited my love of books. Taught me basic arithmetic. How bodies worked, inside and out. Sensing the ills of animals. Healing them.

Azarath, priests of Azar healed humans. At the temple. Or, if patient couldn't be moved, where they lay injured.

I saw a priest at work, one day. Draw injury out of a monk, near-dead from a training accident. Too ill to move. Then, resisting the pain. Obviously meditating, as they, themselves, healed.

I had to learn. Needed to. First times I'd chosen to do something, I'd not been instructed to.

There's an aura about the priest. As they leave the training yard. Of... accomplishment. I stepped forward, reached out a hand. Was brushed past. Ignored.

But, I touched her robe. Felt... the power. The power of healing. Of Azar.

Kneeling before me, down on one knee. A dark-red robed figure, hood-up, head-bowed. Waiting for my attention. I sensed, tasted, felt, knew...

The Power of Azar.

---

"Rise."

Figure gets-up. Robe hides all, bar golden-glow of a pair of eyes, hint of a face, below.

"How do you have the Power of Azar?"

Golden eyes look into wooden painted ones. I'm... inspected, judged. Weighed... And, I can feel, accepted.

"Niece. I'm glad you look well. Your spirit appears much healed, from when I last saw you. Would you have me speak of that time?"

I swallow.

How? Don't know. Wooden dolls don't have throats. But, recently, physical sensations of my lost body have returned. Almost as though the doll... is an illusion. A cloak worn to keep those around me... happy.

"Do."

Raises his head. I see his face, better. He... resembles my father. Trigon.

"You were a doll. As you seem now. But, hardly anything but a doll. A flicker of spirit. Maybe dying. Your father... Trigon. He was furious. Tore the demon, who delivered the dolls, in two. Then into quarters. Ever smaller pieces. Stamped on the pieces."

"I seem... quite healthy, now. My... visiting brother seemed impressed. Did... father send you here?"

"No. I wander the lands. Only going to court if summoned. There, typically, I work to heal one he's injured. I refuse to stay there, watching him injure others. I... stayed, in the hope that I could heal you."

"Tell me more."

"Three days and nights, I wrestled with Death. Bargained. Plead. She... stepped back. Said it was not yet your time. But, mine would come, soon. And, she would be there. I... thanked her for her kindness."

"You saved my life?"

"I believe so. I'd never seen someone so badly injured survive. I think... you were not yet ready to die. That's why I fought so long and hard. And, yes, I had other reasons. After all, you're..."

"Yes, yes?"

"My Niece."

---

We eat, and drink. He consumes food reasonably normally, drinks. Chewing, sipping, swallowing. I bring food near my painted mouth. Bits disappear. Cup gets emptier. I... feel better.

"How can I have an Uncle? Are you my mother's brother?"

He pushes his hood back, a little. Shows his red-skinned face, two sets of closed eyes, on his forehead, neatly filed-off horns.

"No. I'm from your father's side."

He sighs.

"I'm... the touchy, feely, part. The bits of the power of Azar, his father, that he's not comfortable with. Cast out, given my own body. To walk-around in. To... heal. He wont, can't, harm me. I'm part of him. But, long as I don't speak, act, against him, I wander the lands, freely."

"I must ask... how was I injured? Did... my father do it?"

"No. There's no mark of his power on you. Or, power of any but yours. Twas as if you... drained yourself, near death. Doing... some great work of magic? I don't know."

He shakes his head.

I... Remember.

Frantic ritual. Fighting to hold on to my spirit. Resist it being ripped from my body. The magic, the power draining from me. Into the ceremony. My, last, final, attempt. A summoning.

Drawing on every ounce of my strength, magical, spiritual. A ritual to summon....

My Apprentice.

---

Next >

 

Hiatus - Author Note 4 for 'Raven's Replacement'

I'm declaring a 'Hiatus'. Not something I wanted to do, but the last couple of weeks have been... unpleasant. I've had no Episode Buffer since the start of this month, September 2020, so, write one episode a day, often immediately before it's posted.

I'm two weeks behind with the per-episode Character Sheet updates. They drive the logic of some episodes, check things are going OK, give me episode ideas. I've done no Omake except for the 'Doll Raven' ones for... three weeks? Don't know. And, messed-up sleep is impacting the rest of my life.

So. Hiatus. Need to build my Episode Buffer to at least three episodes, before I start posting, again, Write at least one episode or Omake which isn't 'Raven's Replacement', or a 'Doll Raven' Omake. I'm hoping that means next episode will be posted Monday 21st September 2020.

This story is important to me. Helped kick-start my creative energies, survive the Covids. Makes me happier. But, I can't let it wreck the rest of my life. So, sorry, need this hiatus. And, during it, I'll try avoid falling under a bus.

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 31

"Holiday. With colourful people. Now"

Raven seems very firm.

"What are you waiting for?"

---

Raven's room.

Attempting to read her entire library. Never-ending task. Keeps adding more books. But, my reading speed's increasing.

Raven looks... haggard.

Drained. About to collapse. I... use my Third Eye on her.

Defences look pretty solid, far better than last time. They're good enough to hide her chi from me, which is new. Certainly can't see her magic, or spirit. As usual, tech-sight sees nothing.

Door opens.

Raven walks-in, carrying puppy.

Ah.

---

Tired Raven looks at me.

"You're not My Apprentice. And you're not her... replacement."

Looks at other Raven.

"You're not Neo Raven."

Looks around the room.

"This isn't my room."

Turns back to me.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

---

I'm making tea.

Raven is looking at Raven. Both are sitting-down. Looked like was really needed. Raven's looking back. As is puppy. I'm pretty sure that's my Raven, and Cosmo. They... feel right.

So, who is Tired Raven?

Tea is made, four cups placed-out. Which... seems to puzzle visiting Raven. Three cups are poured. Tea is sipped.

"I... think you're Raven. Your defences are so good I can't tell. Did you escape from your father? We still hadn't managed to locate you."

She frowns, looks between us. Then, looks around the room. Then, more widely, as if looking through the walls.

"You've got a few books, I think, that I never obtained. And, there's novel defences on this Tower. Clever design, looks like a three-fold ritual. One of the participants looks like me, one... Sugoi, I... don't recognise the third."

She pauses, sips.

"I'm guessing this is a different time-line to mine, though quite similar. But, I followed the link back that my Apprentice has to me. You're not my Apprentice. Who are you?"

I look at my Raven. I'll have to take the risk.

"I'm guessing that you're the Raven who went off to deal with Trigon's empire, after banishing your Apprentice home destroyed him?"

"Yes. I ask again. For the third and final time. Who Are You."

Beginning to feel very dangerous...

"I think... I'm your granddaughter."

Her jaw drops.

---

More tea is poured. We look at each other.

"Could you... please expand on that?"

"You sent... Sugoi, who considers herself your daughter, Home. But, in the moment before she arrived another Raven, in another Titan's time-line, summoned a potential apprentice."

"That would be you?" She raises an eyebrow at my Raven.

"Noooo... That would be my mother, Raven. Who's currently missing."

She looks confused.

"You... look remarkably like your mother."

"One of them. Sugoi, here, is my other mother."

Raven looks between the two of us. Shakes her head.

"I'm going to regret asking this aren't I?" She addressed the air.

"Simple explanation please?"

"My mother, Raven, her spirit was stolen by Puppet King's doll. I'm her body, infused with Sugoi's spirit. That makes local Raven my body-mother, Sugoi my spirit-mother. Oh, and Cosmo got mixed-in along the way."

She hefts the puppy.

Who promptly wriggles out of her hands, tumbles to the floor, morphs to a maybe eight-year-old girl, dressed exactly as both Ravens. Though, her looks are a mixture of Raven's and mine.

Oh, yes. Guess I should mention. She's wearing my Best Boots.

Cosmo looks between the Ravens, dodges her mother's attempt to grab her, runs to other Raven, wraps arms around her.

"Great Grandma!"

---

Raven looks down at the small girl.

Tentatively pats her on her head. Looks over at the pair of us.

"I'd... no idea my family was so extensive. You've... been busy."

I blush.

"Cosmo's our... spirit-child. Unexpected, but we love her very much."

Her eyebrows raise.

"You've been doing spirit magic?"

"Mostly accidentally. I was summoned into Raven's just-emptied body. My, not-previously-used, empty body was in the summonee circle. All the Titans lacked spirits. Raven had... hurried her ritual. Just did my best to... fix things."

"I... see. My apologies. I burst in here, demanded things of you. I'm guessing you're in the middle of a war with... local Trigon. I'm lucky you didn't attack me. My only excuse is that I'm at the limits of my... sanity. I really need that holiday. And, my Apprentice promised to take it with me."

I look at my Raven. My daughter. At Cosmo, my daughter and granddaughter.

Magic, it can really mess-up your family tree.

"I'll cheerfully fulfil that promise, that my mother, your Apprentice, made. Assuming Raven has no objections?"

She shakes her head.

I think for a few moments.

"Would you object to Raven's Apprentice joining us? And her... adopted daughter?"

"Someone else's your Apprentice? Not Sugoi? And she has a daughter?"

"Yes, she's 'Shepherd', her daughter's 'Fang'."

Raven looks back to me. Raises one eyebrow.

"It's going to be an interesting holiday."

It was.

---

AN: Story's On Hiatus, 23:00 UCT Sunday 13th Sep 2020 to 23:00 UCT Sunday 20th Sep 2020.

AN: Hope you don't mind another trip to the world of the colourful people?

AN: Originally the above was just the first half of an episode. But, I thought it worked best on its own.

 

Hiatus End - Author Note 5 for 'Raven's Replacement'

The hiatus, declared a week ago, has ended. Thought you might like to know.

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 32

I'm late. No paws and whiskers. But, I'm late.

Yes, I know I'm mangling 'Alice', but was one of my first books.

Think my father liked the author's math.

---

Nurf warned me. This day's a mess. I've ignored her warnings, before. But, this time, No. Just. No.

Been so lucky. As Raven's Apprentice. First time-around. This time, in quite a few ways, I'm Raven. And, the rest of the Titans. Someone else's the Apprentice.

Can't rely on Luck. Have to... Be Prepared. A Scout as little as a White Rabbit. Not even Bond, James Bond. But, have to do my best.

Meditation.

Calm.

Time To Die.

Again.

---

Tried to answer the question, 'Become a Shaman, or a God?', with 'None of the Above'.

It's been... hard. There's Powers, trying to force a choice. But, neither feels right. And, I think, this's somewhere Nurf and I firmly agree. Need to... find another way.

Nurf's not here. I'm (mostly) alone. Dangerous rituals area. Untested psychic surgery.

On myself.

With my Knife.

Raven's... pretending to read a book. Off to one side. Her own protective circle. Levitating. It's... nice of her to be here. For me.

But... have to do this... Myself. Alone.

She'd helped me find the right books. Design the ritual. Explained she'd done something like this, herself, a lifetime ago.

All chanting done. No song, knew that'd be a bad idea. With my voice. Now, the tricky bit.

Very carefully I shave a thread-thin bit off, round the outline of my shadow. Yes, it hurts. Then, slowly, cut my shadow free, making sure maintain a good grip. It's... really painful. Worse is yet to come.

Carefully fold, twist, my shadow. It... doesn't want to. Lay my fast-fading will on it, force things into the shape I need. Start sewing, back in place, but, slightly different. One part at a strange angle, doesn't exist in space-time. A... private, personal, reality.

It's... incredibly painful. Feel tears dripping from my eyes, breath catching in my throat.,. heart... stuttering. Then. Stop. I'm dead. But, not. Part of me's still alive, the tuck of shadow sewed Outside The World.

Wait. Have I killed myself, to no good end? I'm... beginning to despair. Then, from the tuck, the hidden, other, part of me. Life. Spreading-out. Creeping-back. Into the rest of me. A jolt. My heart beats. I'm breathing. again. Slowly, crawl-back, into existence.

Believing Raven, I'd always had this potential. Since I was murdered, back on the Walk, home, in that false Wales. Or, not actually false, but, not my Wales. There, I'd hung-on, my father'd dragged me back. Now, had to do all the work, myself.

Raven'd the advantage of divine ancestry, being a demi-god. I'd, maybe, time as a NMC, a 'non-material computer'. But, really, that's (just) a guess. I needed to control the process. Fully. Myself. As a stepping-stone to something else.

Rest. A few moments. Gather myself. Complete the ritual. Open the circle.

Walk-over to Raven.

She looks up.

"Good. You seem to have survived. Now I can teach you the difficult bit."

---

This's Visiting Raven.

The one really, really, in need of a holiday. But, she looked at me. Said I wasn't 'ready'.

Hence, this ritual.

"Part of you's extra-dimensional, now. Something you thought was native to me, but, yes, I had to learn. The hard way. You've got something to anchor your wards to. To bedrock your private dimension. Act as a gate to your private workshop."

She looks at me. Gives a (tired) grin.

"I know you're not my Apprentice. That this is a one-off thing. But, it was... really good to work with you. Gives me... a little hope that I might, one day, complete my task. Be something of a free agent, again."

"I'm now... somewhat rested. The time-lock in this room is solid, does not need my presence. I believe I've grasped the basic logic of your Workshop. I'd... like your permission to do something... creative for a change. While you rest. Power is, of course, not an issue."

I look at her. There's a... spark, wasn't there earlier. Reach out.

She gestures, floats-out her circle, lands.

We hug.

"Yes, please."

---

AN: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; just in case.

AN: Note that this was previously the second half of the previous episode, so, arguably, it's a bit short. But, didn't seem right to make it longer.

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 33

"Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was black as soot, and every where that Mary went, its sooty foot it put."

"Right... Are you trying to tell me something?"

"That's a variant. On the classic 'Mary had a little lamb' nursery rhyme. We... suspect that someone's playing games with us. But, it's possible there's useful things we can learn, from that."

Shepherd's boggled.

"I know. It all sounds a bit mad. But, my previous time-line we'd strong evidence the local Universal Powers, the Endless, were... concerned about what we did. I wont say their names, but one has an ankh, one a book chained to them, and one a bag of sand."

Disbelieving look.

"OK, I'll write their names down, just don't say them out loud."

Notepaper. From my dimensional pocket. A pencil. Really need a way of easily putting pencils back... The number I go though...

Shepherd takes note. Eyebrows raise.

"Wow. Are you sure?"

"Yes. We... met the first of those. She forced 'Larry' to pay-up for... improper interference."

"Think me meeting Larry's important?"

"Yes. Shows this time-line matches the previous. Also, second name on the list? Raven and I'd visions of him, when you agreed to be Raven's Apprentice."

"So that's who that is! Pity they don't wear name badges, or something."

"Too easy. Think you can see... why we're cautious?"

"What do we need to do?"

"I... don't know quite how to say this. I had to go through it, recently, myself. Just to be sure."

I look at her. So innocent. So powerful.

"You need to die."

---

"Eat, drink and be merry! For tomorrow, I die!"

Shepherd's in fine form, actions following words. Fine food, excellent drinks, and, yes, you've guessed who's paying for all this.

We're in a... caravanserai, a stopping place, on the dimensional paths. Time apparently flows normally, here, but it's... sort of at right-angles to most worlds.

Also, you don't get older here, catch diseases, and I suspect there's more subtle effects. Pretty sure new, higher, life can't be engendered, for example.

It's a large, flat, area, several kilometres across. Lit only by mysterious stars. Mysteriously supplied with air, water; no one admits to knowing where the sewage goes.

A hostelry, market, place with rooms to rent. Unclear management, staff a variety of, mostly humanoid, races. Quite a few black-skinned lizard-y types. Some with... body odour problems.

Neutral. Open to all. Not... somewhere it's smart to start fights.

We've... done a deal. Created a 'dangerous ritual' area, in an under-used storehouse. We're leaving it intact. Rent-able by future visitors.

In return, we can use it, while we're here, or on future visits. We've agreed to use a difficult-to-forge magical token to identify us. And, yes.

Assuming we're not too frequent visitors.

At the 'Dragon's Vest'.

---

At our table, Raven (the holiday-needer), myself, Shepherd and... strangely enough, Fang in girl-form.

Fang's now about eight-years-old. Usual black skin and dark-red hair, changeable eyes. Also, as usual, she's looking at all with suspicion.

A certain common appearance - we're all in our robes, so we reasonably look like a group. Fang... looks a bit more civilized, than I've seen her before.

Raven's... looking a bit more 'decompressed'. We've 'started her holiday'. Also, I think she's looking towards tomorrow's ritual. Where we'll...

Kill Shepherd.

---

Raven, the one I left behind, had worked with me to 'fix' Shepherd.

But, we'd this horrible suspicion that there were... remaining traps, other unpleasant surprises, cunningly concealed in her. We'd discussed, between us, and with Shepherd, how to tackle this. But, come to no conclusions.

Something visiting-Raven'd said. Got me thinking, about that 'Mary' rhyme. I'd a strong suspicion, that, from our point-of-view, fleece-colour was irrelevant. But, there's other issues...

Explaining to Shepherd why her dying was a... good idea.

Tricky.

---

"You're Raven's Apprentice."

I guess there's worse starts...

"I was, too. I... think I set some sort of pattern. That you're, to some extent, following."

"OK..."

"One of the reasons I've been able to... handle a number of things is that I died, brought myself back to life. I've... a strong suspicion that's a characteristic the Apprentice requires. I'd have warned you, before, but, it's something I only, just, figured-out."

Makes a face, but nods.

Raven's talking to Fang, off in another room. Ensuring she doesn't get to listen-in on this discussion. That could be... bad.

"I believe... you've developed considerable affection for Fang. I suspect you're going to tell her that you consider you're her mother?"

"Yes, though, she seems to get... irritable when I start talking that way. Says we're 'just shepherd and flock'. I'd... begun to wonder why. Wouldn't read her mind, of course."

"Very... ethical of you. Lizard suggestions?"

She nods, and shudders.

"Right. I think she's concerned, if you declare you're her mother, you'll die. As her birth-mother did."

Cocks head on one side, "I can see that...".

"So, one way to reassure her is to've already died. Then, brought yourself back."

"That's... about as mad logic as I've ever heard."

Sighs.

"But, yes, I've not died before now. Come close, come very, very, close. But, not quite. I'll... admit it scares me. A lot."

We look at each other in silence, for a bit.

"If... there's a chance, a way to learn to restore myself to life, under controlled conditions, I'd be a fool not to take it."

---

Dead Shepherd.

Lying in her ritual circle, hood-up, hands crossed on chest. Eyes closed. At rest.

Raven, and I, we're in our circles, the other two points of the equilateral triangle. Watching. Now, much more smoothly for Raven, we step out of our bodies.

Follow the really carefully hidden paths out of our circles. Float across. Hang in the air, next to Shepherd's circle.

"Come on! Don't just lie there."

Nothing.

Yes, that was Raven, not me.

"Should we enter her circle?"

"Suppose so. I'd thought she'd got further in her training, but, dying's a bit of a shock."

Proceed.

---

We've walked a strange, twisted, path. We're in her circle.

"Tickling?"

"Why not."

Attack her sides. Initially, nothing, then, the odd, non-physical, twist. She bursts-out of her body, about... 13-years-old, I'd guess.

"You're evil!"

"We're your teachers. Just doing our jobs."

"So", she turns, looks at her body, "I'm dead?".

"Yes. And, we've little time to waste. Please, both of you, follow me on this path."

As always, Raven's got a few tricks I've not seen before. We're now beside a sort of 2D but also 3D representation of Shepherd. Her body, her magic, her spirit. All spread-out. No way to hide any... nasty secrets.

"Know Thyself!", remarks Raven, a little grimly.

"Had to learn this to... understand my new powers. After my father fell. A... difficult time."

She walks around. I'm slowly starting to make sense of what I'm seeing. Pull it into line with what we learned in defusing some of her more obvious... bombs.

Shepherd, I'm afraid, stands there, looking lost. I step back, grab her hand, start pointing at features, naming them.

"Of course", Raven remarks, absent-mindedly, looking around, "your death might take your lamb with you, as you're so tightly linked, cause a berserk fury..."

I give her a meaningful look. She doesn't appear to notice.

Wait. What's that? Hmm.

"Guys? Look at this. I've been theorising how power-copying actually works. This's a critical part of it. It's... wrong..."

We look at it. Raven and I chuck ideas, back-and-forth. Shepherd, initially silent, starts asking questions, then making suggestions. Eventually, she summarises.

"Self-destruct device? Designed to... detonate, if I'm critically injured, dead? So no one gets to analyse my remains?"

"Yes." Thanks, Raven. Break it to her gently.

"Raven's... basically right. And, there's another, feature, too. If you receive the right signal..."

"Boom!", remarks Raven, with broad gestures, "Found a bit over there, you might like to look at, too. Not sure, but I think it locks-out all your super-powers. That one over there? Pretty sure it makes you... stupid".

We look at each other.

Oh.

---

Back in our bodies.

Shepherd's slowly waking. We found another five... undesirable features. Carefully removed and disabled them.

Raven'd applied a lot of force, once or twice, holding things still, as I cut and pry'd 'bombs' free. Carefully patched, then healed, the holes.

I've decided I really don't like her creator, her grandfather. Pretty sure Raven agrees.

Compared with that, coaxing through the process of returning to life was, comparatively, easy.

"Ow. What planet hit me?"

She rubs her head. Stops. Looks down at her hand.

"I really died, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"Brought myself back to life?"

"Yes." Duet from Raven and me, that time.

"You know one thing, At least..."

Shepherd and I look at Raven.

"Next time, it'll be easier."

---

AN: Mary Had a Little Lamb; respect the classics...

AN: Caravanserai; yes, I have trouble spelling this...

AN: Just to tell you. This episode. Fought back. A lot.

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 34

"Once upon a time..." Defiant look. Hardly surprising.

"'Mind my teacher?' Wasn't that what Shepherd said?"

Defiant look.

OK, that didn't work. Lets try something else.

"Lets introduce ourselves. I'm called 'Sugoi', and my personal name is 'Geo'. I know you're called 'Fang', do you have any other names you'd like me to use?"

Defiant look, with a side-order of glowing red-eyes.

I wait, a bit. Silence. Look at the eight-year-old in neat clothes, a Shepherd-style robe, sitting at the table across from me. In a private room. At the Dragon's Vest caravanserai.

She's very good at defiant silence. Unfortunately, I need to interact, communicate, with her.

"I am one of Shepherd's teachers. Along with Raven. Raven is my daughter. The other Raven, the one who's with us, here, is my grandmother. That puts me above you in your flock."

"My flock is only me, and I don't listen to anyone but Shepherd!"

A response! Lets see if we can expand on that. This'll be cruel, but I've got to get her full attention. Some days I hate myself...

"Once upon a time, there was a ewe. She'd been a ewe for a very long time, and was getting tired of life, wanted to move on, see what came after. So she had a lamb..."

There's a look of horror on Fang's face.

"I'm sure you could tell that story far better than me. And, through your life you're going to have to tell your story many times. Or, never talk about it. Or, have a short life. Or invent a story. Or, something... more interesting."

"I'll not talk about it!"

"Yes, but others will. And, what'll you do if you don't like the story they tell?"

"I'll... bite them!"

"That, or the threat of that, will work for some. But, you'll meet those it wont work on. Or, children who will ask innocent questions. Or, Shepherd might ask you to talk about your previous flock, or your birth-mother. What'll you do then?"

"I... don't know."

"The answer is, think about it, beforehand. Try telling your story to yourself, to 'safe' people, see what they say, see how you feel about the story you tell. Experiment."

I pause. Look at her. She's listening.

"Don't... threaten to, or actually bite, people, unless you've got very good reason. Like, they tried to hurt you, physically, first. Running away is something you might want to consider."

"I... don't run away. They might... attack me from behind. Think... I'm weak, scared."

"So, you do care about what they think. Realising that's a good start. You've walked the dimensional paths, you've got a lot of... magical and spiritual power. If you wanted to, you could become very good at running-away. Avoiding physical risk. But, yes, sooner or later, you'd meet something you couldn't out-run."

She's... looking thoughtful.

"You see? Maybe you can learn a few things from me."

"Don't push your luck. Old lady."

I grin.

"Do you think I'm human? What do you think you are?"

"I'm... a demon lamb. In a flock. With a shepherd. That's... one of those trick questions, isn't it?"

"You are, to some extent, what you say you are. If you say, strongly enough, in the right way, that you're something, you will be that thing. Get it wrong and you'll only be that thing. That's how you can use magic to turn into a tree, and forget you're anything but a tree. And, end-up as firewood."

"My mother taught me that!"

She looks guilty.

"I'm... not supposed to talk about my birth-mother, am I?"

"You can talk about her, but you would be wise to think about the consequences. She's part of you. When you talk about her you are giving part of yourself to another."

She looks puzzled.

"I could read your True Name, from your spirit, shout it out-loud, in a busy place, for all to hear."

"No! You wouldn't do that!"

"Correct. I wont. But, in theory, I could. If you refuse to give anything of yourself to others, the... curious ones, who're powerful enough, and care not for your privacy, will go digging. So, it's best to be ready, with names to give them. Names that you're prepared to let others know."

Reluctantly, she nods.

"Lets start again. I'm called 'Sugoi', and my personal name is 'Geo'. I know you're called 'Fang', do you have any other names you'd like me to use?"

"I'm called... Flower."

"Good start. And what do you say when asked if there's more to your name?"

"I'm... Flower That Blooms In The Shadow."

"That's... probably more than you want to tell them. Some... might spot you left something off the beginning, too."

She's... blushing. That's the first time I've seen her do that. I think... she's starting to get angry.

"STOP!"

I put all my magic behind that, all my knowledge of Naming, but, I reined-in any use of spirit magic. That... could've been bad.

Stops. Looks shocked.

A door opens, I heard its lock break. Guess I'll be fixing that, later. Shepherd sticks her head in. Looking worried.

"Is everything alright?"

I look at... Fang.

"Is everything alright?"

Fang takes a deep breath. Looks at me, in a calculating way. Nods.

"Yes. Things are alright. Sugoi was just explaining things to me. We'll... be a while longer."

---

Yes, we were a 'while longer'.

I explained that mentioning, reluctantly, that 'Beautiful' was the first part of your name might be a good way to stop some people digging deeper. And that, 'In The Shadow', might say more about her than she'd prefer.

Blushing, but looking thoughtful, she agrees.

We agree that 'Flower', with its contrast with 'Fang', might be a good personal name to give to a few, trusted, people. Her 'secret identity', so to speak.

Then, explain secret identities, how Titan world-logic seems to protect them, if moderate effort is made, how that world-logic... isn't common to all worlds.

That... interests her. Says she'll want to know more about that, maybe how to sniff-out the way the logic of worlds vary. How to... know to escape the dangerous worlds.

I... explain that's one reason I felt we needed to talk.

---

"We're going to a world of many colourful people. Not the boring colours of almost everyone on the Titan's world. Locals with Starfire or Beast Boy's skin and eye colours. Yours. But, changing shape, or eye colour, or teeth shape, in front of the locals... could be unwise."

She looks shocked.

"They don't have shape-shifters?"

"We're... not sure. They've certainly got some magic. When we were there, before, with Cosmo, she stuck to either puppy or small-child shape. Not changing where the locals saw. When she did... magic things, 'magic child' seemed an accepted explanation. But, we think, only minor magic is safe."

"You don't know?"

"We were on holiday. We... really needed the rest. Didn't have... enough curiosity to try and figure-out the world-logic."

"OK." She obviously doesn't completely believe me.

"While we were there, someone did a major magical ritual, a long ways off. The sort of big magic that... Shepherd, Raven and me, working together, trying very hard, taking big risks, would have trouble doing. Nurf... told us she could feel it... wasn't our problem. My... magical instincts, told me the same thing."

"That's... a bit scary."

"Yes. We got on with our holiday. Let the locals deal with the problem. All seemed OK. Nothing strange in the news media."

"Nurf's... a bit scary, isn't she?"

"She's... probably older than your previous Shepherd. I'm not sure. Almost certainly had a lot of strange and nearly deadly experiences your previous Shepherd hasn't. And, learned from all of them. She's... not someone I'd recommend fighting. I think she could be very, very, nasty, if you upset her enough. She's had a hard life."

"I'll... remember that. Don't upset the Blue Lady."

"While we were on holiday Cosmo did... a few childish things. Like pull the tail of a cat-lady. We had to teach her, looking was OK, touching was something you needed to... negotiate. Unless the other person started it. Then, be careful you didn't break them. She learned pretty quickly."

Chin stuck out.

"I can learn quickly."

"Good. I think you can. But... one of the things you need to learn to do, I think you'll find hard. You need to figure-out, smell your way, to admitting that you're wrong, that you've made a mistake. And, you need to learn to say 'I'm sorry', and at least sound as if you mean it, and act in future as if you did."

Slow nod.

"I... can learn."

I sigh.

"I... also think you need to learn to... enjoy yourself. Keep part of yourself alert, for danger, for wolves, yes, but still have fun. Cosmo... is better at that than you."

Gritted teeth.

"If Cosmo can do it, so can I!"

"Also, watch out. People will use your relationships to manipulate you. Like I just did."

She looks shocked.

"You manipulated me?"

Deep thought.

"Yes. You did."

A deep breath.

"Thank you."

"A final warning? I... suspect you've got more secrets, you've not told. Like that your birth-mother was head-ewe of your flock. 'Demon Sheep Queen' so to speak. That makes you 'Magical Lamb Princess'. Those sort of people can find they've got... lots of extra risks, in life. Male beings who want to marry them, and aren't very good at hearing the word 'No', for example. Please, don't confirm or deny my guess."

She looks at me. Blank-face. I can tell she's likely learned that by watching humanoids. I'm very carefully not thinking the word 'lambush'.

"Are you ready to go rejoin the others yet? Spend some time thinking about how to not upset a... sensitive Raven, so she turns you into a shape you might not enjoy?"

She opens her mouth. Thinks for bit. Closes it.

"Yes."

We do.

---

AN: Robots kidnapped my brain, so Episode 34 was delayed. Posted next day.

AN: Suspicious people might wonder if the magical disturbance was at a school, and involved music...

AN: Fang is not your common-or-garden demon lamb, with a tragic past. You could write a whole story about her. But I wont. I'm very firm on that point. (Looks around in a worried way)

 

Delayed Episode - Author Note 6 for 'Raven's Replacement'

Episode 34, which was delayed, has now been posted. Thought you might like to know.

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 35

"Help Me, Old Ben Sugoi, You're My Only Hope!"

"Get. In. The. Chop-pa."

Oh. Dear.

---

We're back from 'holiday', with the colourful people.

Raven's a lot more relaxed. Mimes cracking her knuckles. Says she'd got... a few new ideas. Gives a very worrying grin.

Then, sobers.

Says she owes a favour. While can't call for direct help, I could call, any time, once, on her aide, 'Carver'. That... Carver's really quite capable. Though... a little wooden in her execution.

Grins. Won't explain.

Is gone.

---

Early evening. Shepherd, Fang and I, sit down, have a meal with the Titan's who're around. Fang, still a robed-girl, is looking at them with... an evaluating expression.

Nods.

Appears to've come to a decision.

Does a small bow. While keeping her eyes on them.

"My personal name is 'Flower'. You're... all part of my flock. I'll... do my best to look after you."

Then suffers through a Kory-hug.

---

Help request came from a bald middle-aged man, in a very neat white suit.

After making it waggled his (red) eyebrows at whoever was watching the dodgy hologram. Yes. You've guessed it.

Lex Luthor.

Hologram projected from an obviously, quick hacked-together, fake version of a certain famous robot.

Which, gently fell to pieces, once I'd seen the hologram. I could recognise the parts as coming from a number of standard Lex Corp models.

Voice in the background? Yes. Classic T-800 Terminator.

An 'Arnie'.

Lex is really grabbing me by the roboticals, isn't he?

---

Just before the robot was special-delivered, I'd been chatting to CMO Nurf.

Telling her about Raven-holiday. She told me I'd needed it. Also, Shepherd, Fang, looked a lot better, now.

I remarked, hopefully, could now go plan, with local Raven, our Garfield session. How we were going to help him. This evening.

Just grinned at me.

Worrying.

---

I'd discussed the Lex issue with the Titans. Sans Robin. Who's still not about.

Cyborg wanted in, the others were willing, but less interested. Raven said she needed to prepare for later this evening.

We walked the dimensional paths to Metropolis. Openly as Teen Titans. Mostly travellers avoided us. Cyborg quickly handled a demon who wanted to question us. Apologised for not leaving me 'a piece of him'.

Kuro Industries, all seemed OK. Took the opportunity to resync with CTO Geo Kuro. I now know Lex Corp've tried a few probes, legal and otherwise, but got burnt fingers. Have to upgrade the defences, again. When I can find focus and time...

Bit of an adventure. We rescue Luthor.

One of his (criminal) enemies'd obtained a pretty-authentic T-800 Terminator. From somewhere. There'd been a bungled kidnap operation.

It'd all got terribly messy.

Reluctantly, as if pulling teeth, Luthor gifted me the Terminator remains.

I take it back to Kuro Industries. They're going to deep-scan, and, if think it's safe, crate it up, secure-ship it to the Tower. Otherwise, thermite-wash time.

I'm curious, but not, I hope, too stupid.

Back to the Tower.

---

Zatanna's waiting on our return.

It's later evening. She's... got a baby with her, in a basket. No, she doesn't want to leave... him with us. Just wants our help.

Now.

Cadmus. I knew it'd turn-up, sooner or later. Why now?

Red-headed man, dangerous grin, medieval-looking clothes, materialised on Zatanna's doorstep. Baby-in-a-basket. Brought baby, as prophecy required. She'd foster him, raise him, help him fight his nemesis.

Or a whole world would be destroyed.

She'd asked for explanations, while checking the child. Also, precise details of the prophecy. A boy, maybe fifteen-months, lightning-shaped scar on forehead, messy dark hair, green eyes.

In need of food and a clean nappy.

Magic fixed those issues.

Visitor, who mentioned he was not Loki, said the boy was 'Zander Harris', presented a pile of seven hardback books. First titled 'Zander Harris and the Philosopher's Stone', by J. R. Ewing. Books of what'd happen, in a more 'normal' world, if the boy was adopted by his aunt, not rescued from a magical bike accident.

Not-Loki, casually mentioned, a stolen child of Superman being raised by Cadmus. Needing to be rescued. This night. By magic.

If Zatanna didn't go, do the job, Raven plus Sugoi's the only other choice. Delay and he'd be taught to hate his father, Superman. The super-boy, currently nameless, could be called 'Conner', or 'Kon El'.

So, Zatanna's here. With her new son. To beg for our help.

Double Joy.

---

AN: A New Hope; classic Hong Kong martial arts.

AN: I'm going to assume you know what 'Terminator' refers to... You might be interesting in the science fiction novels of Ted White, in particular the 'Android Tanner' ones; some claim 'Android Avenger' is the origin of 'Terminator'...

AN: Want to know about 'Carver'? A version of her's in the 'Doll Raven' Omake...

AN: J. R. Ewing; not normally known as an author. Just to be clear, that's not Xander Harris, but wouldn't want to confuse Lex, and you need a 'Z' name to be in Zatanna's family.

AN: Best not to get 'philosopher' and 'sorcerer' mixed up...

Spoiler: Why would there be a video?

OK, it's 'Predator', not 'Terminator', but hopefully you get the general idea...

 

Raven's Replacement, Author Omake 7

< First
< Previous

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 35, 'Quiet Evening'.

---

Dr. Azar's left. Left me... with much to think of.

"Carver?"

My maid hurries in. One advantage of wooden dolls is there's less dusting. No human skin, far less dust to clean-up. Just what comes from outside, is shed by living visitors.

She's still dusty from hiding under my bed. Guess that needs a more regular clean.

"He's gone. He was... my Uncle. The white sheep of the family."

I look at her.

"We're going to have to kill him. When my father falls, he will as well."

She looks at me.

We hug.

---

Something I needed to check. After my brother's visit. My 'palace' got bigger.

I say palace, I originally just had a Tower. But, mysteriously, while I'm sleeping, sometimes my home gets bigger.

There. I said it. My 'home'.

Guess this place has become that?

But. My palace. Its tendency to grow.

I think it's a property of this world, it's magical nature. Places change to fit those who live there. Conversely, I suspect the people change to fit the places they live. I'd better watch that. I could lose more of myself, that way.

But, I wonder, maybe my father put me here to heal? Gave me the Tower to shape me into the daughter he wanted? Or, it's all a joke to him?

Can't tell.

No point in worrying.

The new 'feature' was a stable-yard and stables. These, of course, contain horses. Rocking-horses, of course.

Carver and I inspected them. Finely-made, beautifully carved, from many sorts of wood. Though, she said, not up to father's standards. Inanimate, though, I'm guessing the world-magic doesn't produce animate beings.

"Do you think we could animate them? Breathe life into hem?"

And interesting question from her.

So, we try.

---

A ritual circle, in a large, mostly-clear, room. I think it's a 'tack room', or, maybe somewhere horses are brought into to be dressed, before being taken riding. We carry the horse I like the look of, best, draw the circle around it. We can both draw on magic, these days, to make ourselves stronger.

I found a blackboard, chalk, cleaning materials, in a hidden cupboard in the palace. Actually, 'found', I laid my will on the palace, said such a place with the required contents would exist. So it did. The blackboard's now in our ritual room. We're writing-up ideas on it. One's we'll transcribe into our work-books, later.

We think... we've got something that'll work. Start in the astral, draw a little spirit from both of us, merge, shape it into a horse. Then, back to the physical, create a mommet of the horse, a few hairs from his mane, a flake of his paint, a sliver of wood from one hoof.

Then, bind the spirit-horse into the mommet, saturate it with life-force, transfer all to the real horse.

We do it.

---

I think... we've over-done it.

The horse animated, Looked at us, snorted. It, he, feels... powerful.

We, very carefully, 'tame' him. Familiarise him with who we are, on a spiritual level. He accepts us. No force, just befriending.

He, mentally, says his name is 'Slippy'.

The three of us look at each other. Carver, My Apprentice, makes a helpless gesture.

I break the ritual circle.

Let Slippy out.

He steps off his rocker, moves carefully over to us. He's... big. I don't know exactly how big, but it's more than on just a physical level.

As he moves, his legs blur. As if, maybe, there's eight of them, not four.

I recall an old illustration. In a book. In my library. In the Tower. Next to Jump City.

He looks just like that.

Oh.

---

AN: Rocking horse; honest, this story's just toying with you!

AN: Mommet; a magical doll, often made from plant-matter, with bits of the being it represents attached. You can find these going back thousands of years...

AN: Slippy; just so you know.

AN: Yup. This Omake was very Late. Just wouldn't gel. Was posted ASAP.

Next >

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 36

White. Totally white. A white-out.

All mine. Completely private. As secret as I could want.

Except, yes. I've invited Shepherd, here.

---

"OK. My private workshop. Created by visiting-Raven, just before we left to holiday. Looked in here, once or twice, while on our trip. But, Raven was very firm. No 'working while on holiday'. So, that was as much as I did."

I sigh.

"I've... not had time since we got back. It's been... busy. Yes, I know time here's disconnected from 'real time'. But, not really had time to even think of coming here. What do you think?"

"It's... White."

"Yes. Not... done any decoration. Plan's I'll put-up walls, mirror-surfaced, on the outside, as if a building. The white provides free illumination, though... the physics's a bit funny. I'm not trying to extract energy from it, for example. Need to install full environmental support, air-recycling, sewage, waste heat storage. The lot."

"So, not ready to use?"

"We've got air, that's already here. And, I've makings of a Workshop, in my dimensional pocket. We'll start with the Synthesiser, work-up from there. Going to take us, personal time, one or two months? So, now, tell me what materials and tools you need, to record your current situation, for study before we leave?"

"Is this... safe? Do we need to do this, now?"

"Assuming Raven didn't make any mistakes, yes. I've checked, all looks OK. If I understand the path, you'd be strongly advised to follow, you'll be taking Nurse off to my ex-Workshop World. After hand-over to you. There, you'll need to establish your own Workshop, after contracting with tech suppliers. Spend... a Year on the Ship."

She quails.

"What about Fang? Wont we miss each other?"

"For her, no time will pass. I'm... pretty sure it should be only you and Nurse on the Ship. She'll... need all your help. I'd... a hard time, working with Nurf, as she became CMO Nurf. Nurf and me, we'll do our best to prepare you. Yes, I'm pretty sure you'll miss Fang."

She gulps. Nods.

"This could easily take more than a couple of months. Idea's you learn, from me, enough alchemical technology, 'alch tech', that you can happily do it on your own. Self-teach. I can teach you more, back at the Tower. I'm not... sure the world-logic of the Workshop World, where the Ship is, permits you to learn, there."

"Why?"

"It's a... strange place. Nurf certainly learned there, a lot. I... changed, improved my... social skills, but, I don't think I improved my technical, exotic, ones. Even when I tried really hard. Think I was... the world-anchor, or something. You really don't want your anchor changing, in the wrong ways. Could be... really bad."

"Can you learn here?"

"I'd... really not thought about that. Suspect the answer is... No. So, yes, place to build stuff, learning from builds? Think I'll have to leave to do that. By that logic, if I'm the 'anchor', yes, you can learn here."

Grin, widely.

"You're asking some really good questions!"

"Thanks."

"Suggest you work on your meditation, maybe practice Tai Chi. Non-combat stuff. Should all work. Tell me if you've any problems. We're setting-up a mini-med-hub. Can probably handle most things. Yes, I know. Whole thing's been dropped on you, without warning. Raven, Nurf, me, Roshi as well, doing the best we can."

"Guess we'd better start?"

"Yes."

---

Just before coming here, something led me to check the BBS sites. A message from Max. He'd found something... pretty exotic. Thought we'd want to know. Urgently.

I sigh.

Grab Shepherd, as 'Mary', notice Fang playing with Cosmo, chance a time-less trip to Tokyo, Japan.

He's got... a massively-damaged robot. Most of the upper torso, head, left arm, intact. All wrapped in lead-impregnated bandages. In a tray, to one side, a single eyeball. Mostly intact. A golden... belt-buckle? Something's strange. As if... doesn't quite fit in this reality.

"I can feel... there's something out-of-place."

Mary's leaning over, looking at it (him?) carefully.

"I think... we need to see, under the bandages."

Max and I look at each other. Seems to make sense. As Mary unwraps, Max provenances the robot.

"A man with red-hair, grinned a lot. Old-fashioned looking clothes. Looked out of a fantasy game. Said he'd noticed it in his travels, between the worlds. Heard we... bought robots, bits of them. Wasn't cheap. Had to use two unique Star Crystals, my cousin left me. Now, only three left."

"I... don't know how to value those. Do they have any other name?"

"Not sure. Guessing from his notes, 'Infinity Gems'? Don't know."

"Can we worry about that later?"

"Look at this!"

Mary's a long roll of bandage. She's unwrapped most of the torso, Revealed blue tunic, red 'S', over yellow triangle, point-down. Guessing overall-build teenager?

Oh.

---

Three-months since we started. Robot's on the bench. Mostly repaired.

Time to see if he works.

Couldn't properly fix him. Materials, design, simple, but not subject to analysis. Built a new lower-torso, legs, a right arm. Replaced missing eye, remounted loose one.

Essentially, I cheated.

Used best materials I had, anchored everything to existing structures. Testing suggests all should work. The eye, all the Superman eye-powers. Mine's good, provides sight, doesn't do heat-vision. Bet my father could've done it...

The robot breathes, heart beats, no clear source of power.

So strange.

Mary says... Silver.

She's been to worlds, classes them as Gold, the simplest, Silver, most powerful, Bronze, most culturally complex. Titan's world is 'Bronze'. Also encountered worlds without supers; calls them 'Normal', 'Mundane'.

Mary, herself, she's grown a lot over the three-months. Externally unchanged, an eternal eighteen-year-old, her spirit now matches that. Here's hoping that means she can handle what's to come.

Go Time.

---

Says he's a 'Superboy Robot'.

Once we made it clear we'd seen him damaged, repaired him.

Ended-up between worlds, after... an apocalypse. Has no idea what happened. Would like to be... helpful.

I... ask him to allow his mind to be scanned, recorded. Agrees. Says we could have done it, without asking, while repairing him.

He trusts us.

We go astral.

While Mary could use magic, she's developed a skill, without using any copied powers. Got the basics, pretty early. Getting dimension walking, from Geo Kuro, while visited my previous time-line, locked it in.

She's also, slowly, been developing her Third Eye; it's so useful.

We carefully extract him from his physical body. He's a small boy, about five-years old. In a Superman suit.

It's... a bit sad.

I look at Mary. We're going to do everything we can.

To help him.

---

We got... permission to walk in his dreams. No, neither of us really believes he knew what he was agreeing to.

It was... strange.

His mind's... four-colour. Black-and-white in places. Far too... simple. Cosmo, even when she started, was more complex than this. Even my spirit-sparks were.

Show Mary how I create, then reabsorb a spirit spark. A couple of tries and she gets the hang of it. Comments it's very tiring.

So, I generate one, hold it out, on my hand. Ask her to change the colour, any other details that feels right to tweak.

She does, says it feels... creative.

I give the blended spirit-spark to... the little boy. Takes it, turns glowing ball around in his hand, rubs it against his cheek, sniffs it, peers into it. Presses it to his forehead.

It... seeps in. He looks... more real. Not so much a character from a book.

"Thank you. That felt... good."

"Can we look at you more closely? Check you're... fully healthy?"

"Sure!"

---

His mind-home. A comic-book. Four-colour, of course.

On the front Superboy's battling a green man-in-a-rubber-suit alien. The boy looks at this. Frowns.

"That's... not me."

Leads me, by the hand, into his book. Mary follows.

It's... Spartan. But, a wider range of colours is seeping into the pages. A man and a woman, parents, I think, they've little detail. A young Lex Luthor.

A teenage boy, 'Pete', a girl, 'Lana'. A vague sense of a white dog. A rural setting.

"Lets look for anything out-of-place."

We walk around. Again, things're too simple, though there's hints complexity could grow. We don't find anything really nasty, like a self-destruct. But...

"If Superboy tells you to do something, would you do it?"

"Of course!"

"Even if... you thought it was wrong?"

"I... don't know."

"You know the difference tween right and wrong?"

"I... think so. I need to protect people, help them, look after myself. I... need to be trusted, friendly, polite, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and respectful. Be prepared."

"That sounds like... the Three Laws, mixed with the Scout Code?"

"I'm not sure what a 'Scout' is, but, if they agree with that, I respect them."

"Excuse me?"

We both look at Mary.

"Why lead bandages? Anti-radiation?"

"I... needed to help more. So,,, I wore those. So... Superboy wouldn't know what I was."

"How could you see through them? Your X-ray vision is blocked by lead, isn't it?"

"I... moved my eyes to my knees."

Mary and I look at each other.

I pick-up the thread.

"So, you don't always obey Superboy?"

"No."

He looks upset.

There's hugs.

"You are people, too. You can't protect, help, everyone. Trying to would destroy you, so, you'd not be there in future to help. You only do what you can, and you make time to be with those... close to you, live your life, for you, not just for others."

Pause. Look firmly at him.

"Think about all humanity, all thinking, living beings. But, don't forget yourself."

"How?"

"One day at a time."

---

We've... shuffled him into a five-year-old sized humanoid robot.

Living skin, no super-powers, except the radios.

Oh, and the best force-field suite I could engineer-in. OK, yes, he can still fly.

Left his old body empty. Ritually bound, so only he should be able to get in, occupy, run it. Taught him basics of meditation, astral projection.

He's... a lot happier.

Hugs all round.

We agree his name's 'Chris'.

---

AN: Provenance; don't want to buy a forged robot...

AN: Infinity Gems; beginning to wonder just who Max's cousin is, and how widely he's wandered?

AN: Say 'Hi!' to Chris.

AN: Silver Age (of Comic Books); just so you know...

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 37

I. Am. Not. Happy.

Why?

Because Shepherd and me just... caught Doctor Blue and Roshi.

In bed.

Together.

---

They weren't actually doing anything, but lack of clothes, Barry Manilow music, scented candles, subdued lighting...

I'm a bit naive, but, even I can't miss clues like that.

And, there's an air about them. They'd either already... enjoyed each other, or were planning to do so.

Very soon.

Why? Why didn't Doctor Blue's psychic powers tell we were coming? Why didn't Roshi's chi-sense spot us miles away?

Then. I realise. They both probably did.

And...

Wanted us to catch them.

---

In case you're worried? That the eyes of an innocent child are being scarred by this scene?

Chris, he's outside the, now closed, door. Dressed in blue t-shirt, red shorts, yellow belt. Hugging a little black lamb.

Telling her she's beautiful. Really nice to stroke. They're going to be best of friends.

Fang's... suffering under this.

Is... not at all impressed by Chris.

Only got a quick glimpse, as Shepherd closed the door, but...

She's blushing.

---

For those late on the scene? Wondering why I'm upset?

Both're adults, both more'n half-a-millennium old, after all.

I've memories of being... very close to Doctor Blue.

And, Roshi, not someone I like to think of, in that way.

This's... like being... intimate with Master Roshi. once removed.

No! No!

Won't think about that!

---

"This activity's called 'mating'. Studies would indicate."

Oh no. Shepherd's channelling the Martian Manhunter. Didn't need that.

"This is called 'friends with benefits'."

Roshi has spoken. It must be true.

"Oh, Captain Sugoi! You've caught me with my 'boy toy'. What will I do?"

Roshi grins at Doctor Blue.

How do I know this's Doctor Blue, without any clothes to help?

Well, the blue skin's a bit of a hint...

The pair of them. In the bed. Grin at me.

Hmph!

---

"It's your own fault. I needed to do that."

Nurf's whispering, as we slowly proceed towards Raven.

"You and Raven, forced Roshi-chan into that shape. That's... given him problems, which I'll not discuss without his permission. Those who live in the Tower? They're crew. I talked to CMO Nurf, our visit to your previous time-line. The Tower's a ship, you're Captain. I'm CMO. I'm responsible for the health of crew."

She's... got a good point.

Raven and me, we were... annoyed with Master Roshi, so, we pranked him with a teenage body when we summoned him to life. Didn't think about how that might effect him. Mess with his self-image, damage his identity, his life-path. It was... thoughtless.

"Also, I wanted to mess with your head. You've been far too serious, lately. Need to lossen-up, a bit."

I'm... not happy with that diagnosis. Or, the treatment.

"Why didn't you tell me? Discuss it like rational beings?"

"Because I modelled your response. You'd agree with me, then shove the stick... You'd treat it all as your fault, not be able to blame me."

I'm afraid... she's right.

Sometimes, it's really, really, annoying. Living, working, being friends with, someone a millennium your senior.

"I'll need to get my revenge, of course. For the good of my mental health, you understand."

She grins at me. We're at Raven's door.

"Of course."

---

Not-Loki. Said Raven and Sugoi. Had to save Superboy.

However. That wasn't an exclusive list. So, we're taking Doctor Blue.

We're out-of-phase. In a secret installation. Deep underground, near Metropolis.

Looking at a super-science cloning lab. Boy floating, in a giant test-tube.

"Does he have a spirit? Is he stable?"

Doctor Blue's staring at the boy. She's hundreds of years of cloning-up bodies, implanting minds in them, psychic powers even she doesn't fully understand.

"I... think so. His body's part-grown, I'm guessing he's eighteen-equivalent. His mind's stable and consistent, matches his body. But, there's... something wrong. His... reality doesn't feel right."

"Raven?"

"I'm hiding us from psionic sweeps of the installation. Some of the sweepers are skilled, and sensitive. They feel alert, maybe someone's warned them? Yes, I can split my concentration, but, probably best if you handle it, Sugoi."

Sigh. Here we go, again. Will this day never end?

Delicately as I can, focus my Third Eye. I'm reaching through dimensional barriers, but, not the first time I've done that. It's... unreliable, and, tricky.

"He's... not properly integrated into this reality. I can't see anything, but that's what I feel. Like someone's taken several of him, from different time-lines, possible pasts, mashed them all together, stuck the result in here. I think. Way beyond my ability to fix. We're going to have to go physical. Then Raven, you fix him."

We do.

An alien-looking man rushes-in. Our mental defences, resist his telepathic attack. He pauses.

"We're friends. I'm Sugoi, this's Raven, Doctor Blue."

"I'm Dubbilex. Tell me why you're here."

"This is Superboy, being grown in this tube. Very soon he'll be grown to adulthood, programmed to hate Superman. That's wrong. We're here to rescue him."

"There's... not supposed to be any clones growing in this lab. As head of security, I should know. It was mothballed. Donovan's playing his games, again?"

We look at each other. Doctor Blue shrugs.

"We've... not heard of him. And, we only know of Cadmus by reputation. Were directed here by one of those... Cosmic Over-Beings. The sort that turn-up, chuck around true prophecies, rearrange people's lives."

"I'd heard of those. Fortunately, I've never knowingly met one. What do you want to do?"

I look at Raven.

"We're going to do a magical ritual. Stabilise Superboy on this world. If we don't it could get... very messy. Worst case? Destruction of this entire time-line. But, more likely, the equivalent of a medium-sized nuclear explosion. Probably most of Metropolis would survive."

"We'd be at ground-zero. I can tell from your, quite-well shielded, minds, you're not lying. You'd better get on with your ritual. I'll inform Security that the situation, here's, being handled."

"Thank you.

---

The ritual proves to be pretty simple. Raven talks me through it, so as to save her magic for later. Pretty smooth.

We've an unconscious boy, in a Superman suit. There's... something not quite right with his eyes. Doctor Blue's pretty sure she can fix that.

Dubbilex looks at him, cocks his head to one side.

"He's... not quite right. Wait a minute."

While he's away, we take a quick look around. Masked by Superboy's tube, marked '13', is another one, '13A'. I look at Raven and Doctor Blue. Do a quick but careful ritual. Into my dimensional pocket.

We'll check it out, and the woman in it, later.

Dubbilex returns. Carrying a black-leather jacket, and what looks like a spectacle case.

"Got these from the guardroom. Left behind by a guard who's... no longer with us. Try them."

Slip boy into jacket, place round-lensed sunglasses on his face. It all... works. His reality firmly gels.

Going to need time to plan our next move. I've a nasty suspicion we don't get to help Garfield, quite yet.

Tidy-up. Check we aren't forgetting anything.

"Thank you for being so helpful,"

Dubbilex nods to us in reply.

We go.

---

AN: Barry White is best not confused with Barry Manilow. (Sugoi may have a 'perfect memory', but if she learned the wrong name in the first place...)

AN: 'Roshi-chan'? Nurf's using her knowledge of Geo's culture, here, by adding a Japanese honorific as a suffix.

AN: Dubbilex; not a well-known character. Dabney Donovan, a seriously able mad bio-scientist.

Spoiler: (NSFW?) This is not Doctor Blue...

How do I know? Doctor Blue's a blonde.

Spoiler: (NSFW?) Thought you might like this Dragonball video...

Time-travel, it can really mess with your face-recognition skills...

 

Raven's Replacement, Episode 38

"No! Wont do it! No Luthor DNA!"

"All right. Calm down. How about being someone he built? Someone built by a good version of Lex Luthor? So, his 'daughter'? Would that work for you?"

"I guess so."

Nurf grins, at the dialogue.

---

I grabbed Nurf. On our return from Metropolis, Cadmus. Dragged her into my Workshop.

That's my personal one. That visiting-Raven built, and I spent a few timeless months outfitting, with Mary. Repairing Chris. Giving him a suitable body.

I've done a lot this evening...

There, take cloning-tube, #13A, from my dimensional pocket. We stare at it, me using my Third Eye, she her psychic senses.

"Hmm. Adult woman, matching mind, no spirit."

Not the diagnosis I wanted. And, my spirit-sight agrees.

"Can we leave her there? I've... got a bad feeling about that..."

"No. She's got the same reality instability that Superboy had. You'd better fix it."

Sigh.

Set-up to do the ritual.

For the second time this evening.

---

We're in the circle. Sealed. In my workshop. Pretty secure. In the Tower. Warded by our best efforts.

We're not alone.

Spiritually, anyway.

Nurf and I look at each other. Float off the floor. Meditate.

Go astral.

There's a woman's spirit, of unclear appearance. An even more shadowy man's one, behind. In a cowl. With bat-ears.

Ah.

---

"You want to build the Batbot. It calls to you. Says, 'Build me!, I need to Exist!'."

The woman grins at me. From an otherwise unclear face.

"I'm Sugoi. This's Doctor Blue. Introductions, please?"

"Didn't I do that? Such a flutter-brain! Right. I'm 'Proty', big, dumb, and silent, the one who needs the Batbot, that's 'Proto'. We're not from around here. Not-Loki delivered us."

Doctor Blue and I sigh, simultaneously.

"Would you like to know who he is? Got a glimpse of his true form while we were travelling. Well, part of it. Cosmic Being, too big to see all of them at once. You know."

I look at Doctor Blue.

"Alright. Tell us. We can tell you want to."

"He's got eight-legs, looks like a horse, can go anywhere he wants, is Loki's son, calls Loki 'mother'."

Wrack my brains. Norse mythology, not something I know. Thursday's named after Thor, Wednesday Odin, Thor's got a hammer, Odin one eye, Loki's bad news; all I've got.

"Sleipnir."

Doctor Blue looks at me. I look back.

Obviously, we need more mythology.

---

Tells us she's from the 30th Century.

Pet of someone in the Legion of Superheroes, a teen-group inspired by 20th Century Superman. Died restoring a dead Legionnaire to life, so Saturn Girl didn't sacrifice herself. Got horribly confused by 'recons', which I've a nasty suspicion Garfield knows allll about.

Wants to live, again.

Her friend's a Batbot.

Built to defend Gotham, by the Batman. Defeated an entire army of later models. Wants to get out, on the mean streets. Wants to do it in a robot body, not incarnate, as a squishy human

Another Robin.

No, he's not prepared to be 'Batdog'.

Pity.

I've got one half-built...

Prepared to wait, though.

"Got some instructions for you, somewhere. Give me a moment..."

Plunges her hand into her body, feels around, pulls-out an (astral) piece of paper.

"Nurf should drag Dicca out of the Black Door. She's incomplete, didn't get properly created, by the ritual that made Nurf from your backup crystal. She'll be a good anchor-point for the spirit of Snoopergirl, here. Oh, BTW, she's a Lois-Lane clone, but you should negotiate the details with Proty."

She grins.

"That's me."

---

Choose-Your-Own-Supergirl. Proty makes the choices. I do the ritual.

"So. Core's a Lois-Lane clone. With no Luthor DNA. Merged with Matrix, for shape-shifting and Supergirl powers..."

"Gotta have the shape-shifting!"

That's the biggest, most creepy, grin I've ever seen.

"Right. And, you want the latent, unrelated-to-Superman Kryptonian DNA, with the 'Snoopergirl' power-set, initially."

"Yeah. Lois Lane for one X-chromosome, Rex Leech for the other X-chromosome, Matrix for the Z-chromosome. And, you'll find my indestructible hypno-specs hidden in the base of my cloning-capsule."

"Humans don't have a Z-chromosome. And, would you like a partridge, in a pear tree, as well?"

"Nah. 'Z' is for 'Zod'. That's the Kryptonian DNA used to make Matrix, and it hides from human DNA tests. Like for paternity."

"Should I know 'Rex Leech'?"

"Not yet, but you will. I'll be his daughter, 'Roxy', who arrives with a big fat trust account. That'll make him swallow being a father. Oh, and, if he perv's on me? Well, I can offer to crush, or rip-off, various bits he's very attached to."

Nurf grins.

"Reminds of a few incidents... Good times."

"Don't forget. Stabilise. Insert Dicca, then Proty. Decant. Add clothes. Those last should be in the capsule-base."

"Right."

We do it.

---

Before us stands mild-mannered reporter, Lois Lane.

Neat business suit, respectable hemline. Neat hair, black-rimmed glasses.

Except... she isn't Lois Lane. We know she's... someone else.

Shake my head. Try to throw-off the subtle passive hypnosis. It's... difficult.

"Do you have to do that?"

"Sorry, glasses do it by default. Have to learn to use them, for anything but secret-id maintenance. This's, of course, my actual secret identity."

"Who is she?"

Shrugs.

"Don't know. Need some research. Figure how to fit-in. It's not easy to invent an identity, out of whole-cloth. Need raw material."

"Say..."

Looks at me speculatively.

"Got any 'Superboy', 'Supergirl', out-universe reference material?"

Honest. I don't look guilty. I didn't get a load of graphic novels, on Superman and anything vaguely connected. Honest.

"Might... have..."

Holds out hand.

"Give."

---

Considerable study later.

"Hmm. Yes. I think I'll use 'Tana Moon'. No inconvenient relatives, can use Snoopergirl powers, while learning how to be a good reporter, she'll be attractive to Superboy. Should work."

"Is being attractive to Superboy important to you?"

If Nurf hadn't asked, I was going to.

"Links to other supers, reduces your chance of being retcon'd. Can still happen, but, use what you can."

Looks thoughtful, still paging, carefully, through my collection. Obviously taking mental notes.

"Also, she's a 'woman of colour'."

Yes, she does the finger quotes.

"Killing those off may be less common in future, if I read the trends right. Also, makes her stand-out from the crowd. Not just another busty blonde. Like Galatea, who I think I've replaced."

"Do you, personally, have a gender?"

"Didn't, previously. As Proty. Now, Dicca's female, so's Lois. Matrix's ungendered, much like I used to be. I think there's attraction and trust for Luthor, though, engineered-in. Lois also fancies Luthor; she likes powerful men. Dicca, she's young, but worships at Nurf's feet."

Nurf blushes.

Snoopergirl twirls a moustache she isn't wearing, says, in a deep voice, "This is your captain speaking".

Nurf shudders. Says in a pained voice.

"You didn't have to do that!"

"A practical demonstration of how much Dicca survives, in me. Didn't mean to upset you. Much."

"My revenge will be terrible!"

"Good!"

She grins, then sobers.

" 'Splatgirl' might be a good start? Or, falling Tana Moon, Superboy could catch her?"

Pauses, stares at the wall.

"Invulnerability, super-senses, nothing else. Best attack? Death-from-above. Fall on people. So, currently, limited mobility. No flight to-and-from Hawaii, for example. Of course, I've got the shape-shifting. But..."

She sighs.

"Can't afford anyone knowing. Even in the 30th Century shape-shifting's thought 'creepy'. Now?"

Shakes her head.

"At least I can talk, now. Mute as Proty? So sad. Guess I'll need acrobatics, hand-to-hand? Ideas where I could get some training?"

Nurf and I grin at each other. She silently mouths, 'Roshi'.

"Yes. I think we've a few ideas..."

---

AN: Proty; obscure enough for you?

AN: Sleipnir; honest, it's just four men, in a horse-suit, carrying a coffin!

AN: Lois Lane, if you don't know who she is... Matrix, getting obscure... Galatea, because you shouldn't mix-up your blondes... Tana Moon, need to kill a no-background love-interest, every-so-often, to prove the universe's a dangerous place for non-supers? Roxy Leech, so you're a Superboy fan, and/or you just like blonde's in bikinis?

AN: Retcon, for when 'a wizard did it' just doesn't convince fans, any more...