Office Work

Raven found herself back at the Office. She didn't feel like seeing Cole at the moment, better to get a solid grasp of her current emotions before seeing him again. Rather she wanted to take a look at the paper work. She had only glanced through most of it before. The two contracts and applications, several files, deeds; it was interesting to see that they owned not only the lot the building rested on but a business license to operate. All the legal work was taken care of to let the property operate as a book store. Of course, owned under both of their names.

"Hmmm, I'd let him have that in the divorce." Raven thought as she kept going down the files. Ways the house worked, the capabilities of its travel, limitations…, Ah here it was, the method of breaking the contract. "Let's see...."

"-Love is kind, love you sweet. Yet love does not last forever, to break your bond and free your souls. You must seek out nine, nine gods of the heart.
-With the permission of these nine, you will have the strength necessary to break the bonds that bind. Yet these nine alone or not enough to unbind that which is bound.
-For the string that binds you, is the string that must be cut, not pulled. Thus, you must forge something freshly born, something ancient old. Within the white and the might of a Star, forge the twins of progress and tradition together into a Blade.
-Yet to use this Blade, you must first find a Toon. Whose heart is true and whose being defies all that is true. A being of chaos and whimsy, for it is with their aid, may the blade pierce the fabric that binds.
-With this Blade, the aid of a Toon, and the blessing of the nine. Your fates will be forever yours to decide."

".... THE FRESH HELLS?!?!" Raven gripped the page tightly almost ripping it to shreds. The idea of how to break it was insane, what level of magic was THIS nonsense? The spellcaster was certain this wasn't a trick but this much layering of protection was just overkill. The fact it took nine gods ALONE just to start the process was maddening. Raven knew a simple lawyer and court visit for this wasn't going to cute it but this was…, what karmic joke was going on? Raven's mind started to race with possible answers before she slammed the group of papers down on the desk in frustration, shaking a few sheets and cards loose from the pile. Being allowed to get...angry was somewhat refreshing but this was just.... "AGGGGH" she screamed in her mind.

"......I'm not even sure if Trigon could break this. Not that he'd have a reason to." Raven thought as her mind started to formulate a path to break it. If they could get home, they could ask Superman or Batman for help so that wouldn't be to... hard..., hmmm? "What is this?" Raven thought as she shifted through the scattered papers and cards. One small plastic card with Cole's face on it drew her eye as it wasn't an ID nor was it some sort of social security number. It was a license, specifically a Boxing license.

"Hmm..., Cole said he was a boxer.... but didn't he say he had to stop? ...Why?" Raven thought, her curiosity getting to her. After all, if he had done something foul, she most certainly wasn't going to entertain this idea.... NOT that she'd entertain this idea in the FIRST place that is. No that was a silly meaningless thought.

Raven turned her gaze over to the bookcases, her eyes inspecting the rows of books. As the main office of the building, it probably contained every record tied to the two of them. At least the records they had kept close by. Sure enough a black bound folder caught her attention and she summoned it to her side. It was photo album specifically hers from her days with the Titans. Raven mused over a few pictures such as a dance BB and Starfire dragged her to, Cyborg’s third built car, new recruit orientation; all fun memories. However, if her photo album was here logic there should be something for Cole here too. “Unless he’s the kind of guy that doesn’t keep records.” Raven mused.

She continued to scan the shelves till a small unassuming folder called to her. A faded red album off in the corner. Taking it in her hands, Raven carefully opened it. The first sight inside was a photo of a tiny baby, wrapped in a blanket and being held by, no doubt, his mother. Scribbled under it was the sentence ‘Welcome to the world Cole’ written by his father most than likely. Raven sat by means of levitation as she slowly turned the pages of Cole’s history. It was only fair, given how much he knew of her own life. A part of her mind said it wasn’t fair but her more logical side said “Tough. Besides, Robin would suggest looking into him anyway if we got back.”

Unlike the comics that starred her and her friends, Raven found the album to be not as meticulous to details. It still had enough for her to get ideas about his past, like the picture at a work BBQ. Cole stuffing his face with ribs while his dad placed a hardhat on his head. The rolling hills off in the distance helped confirm Cole was from a mining town or at least some sort of heavy nature industry. “Maybe lumber.” Raven muttered as she turned the page, seeing Cole at about 7 helping out around the store. Each picture showing him with more and more boxes until he was buried under his own cockiness. His mother’s own words as that’s what the label under the photo said.

Raven continued to flip through Cole’s history. It painted him as an earnest guy if a bit hardheaded. Simple childhood life of living in a small work town, time spent at the store his mom worked at or a gym which she found was owned by his uncle. A few images of holidays or birthdays showed him getting books and games along with some outdoor equipment. Raven had a small smile on her face when one birthday showed him getting some DC comics, one of them having her on the cover.

Things changed as she got further. Cole started looking more frustrated in the photos. With his parents he was still happy or at least put on a happy face, but other photos showed him with a bit of a scowl. It was also when their warm and happy house was replaced by an apartment, the open mountain town turning into shots of a downtown city. “Massive life change. I can sympathize” Raven thought.

It was around this time boxing bits started to show up. Tickets, news paper clippings, photos; Cole’s high school years was filled with it. The media from what she saw called him the ‘Raging Lonely Wolf’ given how frustrated he always seemed and the lack of fan support he had. At first at least. As she followed his career, she had to give him some credit. While he didn’t have many listed matches and the amount of time between them was pretty long, Cole seemed to have an undefeated record. The man seemed well not on top of the world but primed to take it as she turned the page.

“…that’s it?” Raven thought as she turned the page back to see if she had skipped something. The only thing on the page was a headline of ‘Wolf Put Out to Pasture!’ and a small blurb about how Cole had his license revoked. No reason, no listed explanation; just one page going into a big hyped fight and the next lost it all. Maybe there was another new clipping that explained….

Then she heard the doorknob turn.

Cole entered the office as he toweled off the sweat from his forehead. Getting used to working out again was gonna be a pain. Not to mention that Shadow Boxing he did took a lot out of him. He wasn’t sure if it was due to the actual act, or having to use his new power on top of it. “I’ll ask Raven about it after I find my license.” He mentally noted.

Removing the towel from his face, he was greeted with the sight of Raven’s back, the heroine standing next to the desk reading through the provided documents. “Trying to find a way to get out of this I bet.” He thought before he spoke up and walked over, “Hey Rea…., Raven? Which one should I call you, rather not annoy you with a nickname I shouldn’t use.”

“Hmm…” Raven muttered, turning her head to glance at him, “Either or. Come, I have some things to show you.” She said, waving a hand to beckon him closer. Cole looked over her shoulder as he got closer, only for her to turn to face him, “Could you stand beside me?”

“Don’t trust me enough to stand behind you. I get it.” Cole muttered as he shuffled over while she handed him a page. His eyes glanced over the words while Raven looked him up and down.

“He must have gotten done training… but where?” Raven thought, trying to ignore the smell of his sweat and how it went down his neck into his shirt…, Nope! Having to deal with her Lust Emotion more openly was going to be a pain. Cole was pleasing to look at but that was it. She wasn’t the type of girl to just actually jump any guy. Raven could almost picture the rest of her emotions pulling lust into a room to stomp it into listening.

“Sooooo…., is this a joke?” Cole asked, his tone slow and steady. His face looked like a mix of puzzlement and frustration.

“No. Given everything else, I’m quite certain this is real.” Raven said with a fold of her arms and shifted to sit on the office table.

“Kinda insane huh…. 9 gods… Star… Toon? I’ve seen sport contracts less ironclad.” Cole groaned as he put the paper away. Only for another collection to be shifted into his hands. Confused, he looked up at Raven who just waved him to get to it. After flipping through it he looked back up and asked “Wait we own a store?”

“It would seem so. To be honest, my own work history has been ‘hero’ or small service jobs like waitress or cashier. Usually, I just live with whatever team or group that wants to house me.” Raven explained, tapping her cheek with her index finger, “Robin made sure all the upkeep was well paid for. Along with giving out personal living expenses.”

“You mean Batman did.” Cole quipped to which Raven just shrugged. He took another look at the paperwork his mind putting things together. “I suppose that does explain the storefront down on the first floor. Dunno about the work out room though but I guess that’s more for you.”

“Given how you said you stopped boxing and I was mostly a freeloader, not my choice, Cupid figured to give us a way of making income.” Raven said as she laid out her own thoughts on the subject, “After all, why get two people married if they can’t support each other. Also…,” Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him dead on, “What work out room?”

“Oh, you don’t know about that huh?” Cole said, having a dumb grin on his face, “Yeah there’s some sort of magical hidden room you can get to from the balcony. It’s had some training gear and what looked like a planning area.” Cole was just a tiny bit smug to have found something the Heroine didn’t know. Maybe shake an emotion out of her that wasn’t just that doll like response or that angry shocked yell she did.

“Show me.” Raven asked.

Soon the pair were in the hidden room, Raven floating from one point of interest to other as Cole sat at one of the computers, slowly spinning in the chair to keep Raven in his vision. She seemed interested at least but not fully shocked like he had been hoping. Ah well Raven was well known for keeping her emotions to herself. Still he felt pretty good about figuring something out first as he'd been on the back foot most the day.

“Interesting. I suppose this is the most they could give us given the amount of room we have to work with. That or possibly give us a hidden plane.” Raven muttered as she looked over the map table. A finger traced the rim of a small house model on the map, no doubt showing where their house was in relation to the rest of the city.

“Book shop to earn income for a normal life; hidden room to keep being a hero.” Cole said, leaning back in his chair, “Cupid does good if worrying work. Stumbling into this was by chance though.” He put on a sly grin again, “You said you used some spells before, did you not find this?”

“No.” Raven quipped back, which made Cole take the win in his head. That was before she followed up with “But I did find that the building is magic.”

“…. Wait holdup now.” Cole sat up as the mental victory lap in his head stopped, “It’s what now?”

“Magic.” Raven said again, turning to face him, “The Building is magic. I’m unsure as to the level of its abilities but it can change and suit the owners’ needs and desires to a degree. Such as temperature control, supplying items, moving objects…

“…. Rocketing you up a level?” Cole slowly asked as he cupped his chin in thought.

“It’s possible.” Raven replied, “It would get annoying to walk all the way up and down that staircase otherwise. Though I can teleport…”

Cole thought back to his exploration. He recalled how he just seemed to skip a floor while heading back up to the third floor. If the house was magic, that would explain things. And he had thought about wanting a place to work out before he found the room.

“So… maybe this room was…” Cole started as he looked up.

“Made after I did my spells yes.” Raven finished, “Given that I was … indisposed, at the time I would assume this magic reacted to your thoughts and provided a room for the needs or wants it sensed." She folded her arms and leaned back to sit on the provided table again. Making sure not to sit on any part of the map or little marking figures.

“I guess I was also thinking about how you’d keep being a hero while being tied to me.” Cole sheepishly said as he starched the back of his head, “Even if it was subconsciously.” That or maybe he wanted to be a hero himself, a small part in his head thought. After all he DID have super powers now, even if it was timed based. Wait how long did those drinks last?

“At the very least though, this should help us get info about the city we’re going to live in.” Raven said getting up turning back to the map, “Given that we’re going t obe here for awhile.”

“Wait we are? … are we trapped here?” Cole asked as he started over. Only for a portal to open up and a few more papers to slap into his face. Pulling them away from his nose, Cole started to read listed info. “Multiverse Teleporter…., two week cool down? Wait we have to wait two weeks?” he asked as he neared Raven.

“So, it seems.” Raven sighed, “My powers aren’t able to cross gaps that massive so we’ll have to rely on what Cupid’s Wish has given us. And thus far they haven’t had any underlying schemes.” Raven turned back to face him, a leg crossing the other as she slouched a little, “I take it you’ll have no problem with visiting my world first.”

“….No. Smart move. Bunch of heroes can probably help figure out how to crack this.” Cole muttered as he handed the papers back, “Think we should keep all the paperwork in the office and don’t feel like walking back.”

Raven teleported the sheets back to where they belonged and the two stood in silence. Unsure as to what to say next. How would they live together? How would they sleep? The book shop, heroing, ... should they try? For Raven though she pondered about asking just what he did to get kicked out of boxing. There was a tension in the air and better to ask something before it builds up too much.