Raven - Daydream and Plans

This wasn’t bad.

Certainly not a place she pictured herself being in a few days ago but it was an enjoyable change of pace. There was a certain charm to running a book store; the clientele was quite enough save for a few that were too flirty. One glimpse of the ring though and that shut them up. And so long as she got to the next person in line in a reasonable time, most customers were more than happy to wait.

She could really get used to this. Even if it was a weird set up by some cosmic dimensional match making service. It would be a nice vacation from running around being a hero all the time or fighting against demons.

“Does it have to be?”

Raven closed her eyes with a sigh. As she opened them, she found herself drawn back inside her mind. Looking around for the source of it this time she noticed Zen standing beside one chamber, giving a small wave. Raven walked over and looked inside.

The room was draped in a blue hue, and was clean and organized with several bookshelves. High fantasy books and romance novels dotted them, a picture of her with the team placed on the desk just right to catch some light, and a few motivation posters were hung up the walls. A few stuffed animals were arranged on the bed, but no where near enough to be Happy's room.

Rather, Hope stood there with a glare and arms folded tapping a foot.

“You know full well why I’m back Raven, of at least in a strong enough position to manifest.” She lectured with a wag of her finger at her prime counterpart.

“Why…, ... Wait." Raven started before putting it together, "You can’t expect me to believe there’s a part of me that would consider this whole thing. The store.., sure…. But Cole? Come on.” Raven folded her own arms in annoyance before turning to Zen.

"Do not look to me. I can help you control and manage your other selves. But I can not **** them to change their minds about how they feel or act." The 'helper' explained. Raven just rolled her eyes.

"You're enjoying it though so what is the problem? All the pain and trouble and we can just have a nice 'normal' life this way." Hope said, drawing Raven's attention once more, "Why can't you at least consider it? Even if it is just a dream."

“Would you like a list?” Raven said, a vein pulsing on her forehead.

“Actually…”A voice spoke up.

Zen gave a small smile as with a wave of her hand another chamber came along side Hope's. Yellow was this room's color, and it was a mix of a library and a school room. Filled with books to the point of covering the floor, computers lining the walls, and papers scattered everywhere; Knowledge was standing in the middle of it all, marking down items on a whiteboard with one hand and working a calculator in the other.

“I’ve been crunching the numbers…, and he’s not bad… not a huge stud of a prize," she began, pointing out some of the cons but moving over to the Pros side, "But he’s decent, charming, witty/funny without going overboard, and given he’s already shown he’s willing to put him in danger to save others…..”

“Were does being from two worlds rank on that list.” Raven asked as she clenched her jaw, “Picture telling your kids that visiting granny is gonna have to cross time and space to get to her house.”

“Oooooooo!” Slam!

The other chambers were shoved out of the way as Lust’s room came flying in. Raven grumbled as she saw her double mid hump on another Shadow Construct who was starting to get way more definition to it's features. She had the biggest shit eating grin on her face.

“Already planning for kids are we? Mmmm so daring! You know, we still have that one outfit from the lost halloween bet. The slinky little Nurse one. How about we go play Doctor with that big...HEY-”

Raven gestured with her powers to shove Hope and Knowledge's boxes back into place, sending Lust's spinning a ways off. She rubbed a hand to her temple. This was going to get out of hand and take too long if they just kept jumping in to say their own pieces, she knew it. Better wrangle them all at once and get it over with. She turned to Zen after taking a deep breath.

“Zen, you’ve been connected long enough to know how we feel. Split my emotions up for who thinks we should consider this or not. I don’t want them shoving each other for time to talk.”

Zen nodded and clapped her hands together, multicolored energy forming around her body. The chambers were quickly stacked side by side, one on top of another. A large sign appeared that say 'For' while another was summoned for 'Against'. Raven watched as Zen worked faster and faster, pulling more and more chambers, more and more parts of her psyche out to be counted.

At the end of it, the evidence was clear.

It was a tie.

Part of her was considering it, another part rejected it.

“Zen! Explain! What did you do to…” she turned on her ‘caretaker’ energy crackling around her.

“The only thing she did was make things neat and orderly, letting us think more for ourselves in private.” Knowledge said, with a small nod, “Helps the mind when you don’t worry about getting in others way.”

“So love, we’ve all been drinking in the details without having to worry about what each other one thought of him. And each of us have found something to put him on or off our list.” Lust said with a purr, as she moved her hips more on her 'toy',“As the core of us, why can’t you? Or is this not what you wanted, actual emotions without the risk of us coming out?”

“Don’t spin this back on me! Yeah there a few things I like about him but this is all…”

“Come on, what’s the harm and giving him a chance!” Hope said with a stomp of her foot, "We finally have a chance for a 'happy ending', why can't you give it a shot?"

Raven was about to shout back, when a deep voice from behind her growled loud enough to be heard over everyone.

“For facets, you’re all so stupid aren’t you.”

Raven and every copy of her slowly turned to the voice. One chamber had been left out of the vote. Coated red, it’s interior furniture was destroyed and maimed, carpet ripped and bed frame splintered. In a blood red cloak, hood over her face, another Raven grinned a large toothy smile. As all four of her blood red eyes glared back at her.

“Give him a chance…., why should we? He’s done nothing to earn it.” Anger hissed, her powers gathering around herself like a black wave, “And you’re all forgetting, we Have to make this choice, it’s not something we can avoid. Another thing just robbed from us; having to just 'accept' him as a partner candidate. All because of our oh so loving and understanding mother."

“You would throw away what freedom we have to submit to that lesser? Fools and traitors I call the lot of you. And I can’t believe I’m siding with Prime to do this.”

With a flash of her energy, Anger's chamber slid into place for the "Against" side making it the majority of Raven's self. A victory, but a strange one, as Anger was never one to really care what the rest of them did or acted, so long as she got to cause destruction..., or move closer to her father's goals. She was the embodiment of her demon side after all. Slowly, Raven floated over to the red themed emotion.

“So…., besides just being a pile of anger and bitterness; why do you hate Cole?” she asked.

“Besides the insult of being **** into a marriage? He is weak and unfit for us.” came the hissed out reply.

“Courage didn’t seem to think so.”

“She thinks a stubborn nail can be a battle for the ages. The mortal no good for us, he will only get in the way.”

“So you believe him to be completely off limits then? Not even considering it in another time or place? If he was a Titan…”

“You can’t be considering the smallest idea of this, not with that mongrel.” The emotion spat back, her eyes glowing brighter.

“You know something don’t you.”

“I know he’s not worth your time.”

“What was inside his Anger. You saw it as much as the rest of us did. What, is, he?”

“If I tell you, will you kill him? Denounce and decry him? Banish idea from your head that leads you to debasing yourself?”

“Hmmm. No. Because I hardly trust anything you say.” Raven said before snapping her fingers.

Anger chamber was coated in energy before being picked up and tossed to the other side, slamming into the ‘Yes’ pile. Anger was about to start screaming when several different colored bands of magic were clasped over her mouth. Raven gave her a smirk before pushing her magic a bit more, throwing the chamber further into the pile and burying the emotion. in other chambers.

“We’ll talk later. For the rest of you though, LISTEN." Raven cried, getting all her selves attention.

“We’ve never been well at dating. More so with someone we just randomly met, and I’m still not sure about this whole thing. I am, however, going to put the ball in his court, so to speak. If he wants to try, well, we’ll see how it turns out. We’ll decide from there. Agreed?”

“Agreed” Came a chorus of voice.

“Good. At the very least we can now move on. Now just how to do this…” Raven muttered as she cupped her chin in thought.

“Miss Raven, If I might suggest,” Zen started, her hands glowing with power, “You have the answer already in front of you.”

And just like, she was back. At the cashier of the book store, with only a few seconds passing much like last night. She blinked her eyes a few times and took a drink she had nearby and promptly apologized to the woman in front of her.

“Terrible sorry, I’m a little over worked today. Should be two of us but he’s resting upstairs. I didn’t take too much of your time did I?”

“Oh no no, quite alright. My own husband had to take over the bakery when I hurt my arm for awhile. You’re fine lass.” The woman said as she passed over a couple romance books.

“Thank you very much.” Raven said as she started to scan, “errr, could you do me a favor? You see my husband and I are new to the area and we don’t know the…., good date places…, “

---

“I’m home.”

“You’re funny.” Cole replied looking up from his book.

Technically true though. The work day was over and Raven had come up after making sure everyone was gone and the store was locked up. Though seeing her just appear from her magic was still just a little off putting. He wasn't sure how the rest of her team ever got used to that.

“Rough day at work?” He ask as Raven reverted back to her leotard and jeans outfit. It was sort of cool to see her clothes just swap in and out with a scattering of black feathers.

“Not really, average day I’d say. Few people that came in during the half day said they hoped you got better. And a few guys flirting with me till the ring came up. Why must men find me so alluring.” She said with a stretch, raising her arms over her head and bending her back a bit.

“No comment.” He said, putting his head back in a book. Raven’s stretch showed off plenty of back and ass arch, and he wasn’t going to make her mad.

“So been reading up on the world.”

“Bit yeah. Better idea how things work. Still couldn’t figure out some things. Like who’s supposed to be buried at the site we went to, other than ‘casualties from a war against the enemy’. Makes me wonder if we’re in some police state or something..” He went on before taking up a drink with his powers. Pretty useful to have when he shouldn't be moving.

“Wouldn’t surprise me given how tight they try to control Mages here. Possibly some other Mage group back in the day.” Raven answered as she summoned up a can of soda for herself and took a long sip.

“Anything else you learned? Like your lesson?”

“Not gonna let that go, though can’t blame you.” He shrugged, with his head low, “Look what can I do to show how sorry I am?

"My back hurts from sitting straight for so long and moving those books into bags." Raven said, taking a few steps and sitting in front of the couch, "You're an athlete; you should know how to rub some knots out right?" She asked, motioning to her back.

"I mean... yeah I guess?" He said. It wasn't something he did normally though and this was, unexpected coming from Raven.

"Well, get started."

Cole just nodded his head, letting out a bit of breathe he wasn't aware he was holding. A nervous buzzing was in his chest, why was he so nervous? Nothing was going to come from this after all right? Those thoughts were put aside as he leaned over Raven's back and started his massage. Raven noted how strong his hands felt as he started squeezing and kneading her tensed up shoulder muscles. He was good - Raven admitted, better than she had expected as she bite her bottom lip to stifle a moan that threatened to escape her lip. Kinda funny how a boxer was so good with his fingers..., what else could he do with them...., she mentally told Lust to shut up.

His hands roamed her back searching for any knots of tensed muscles and working hard to loosen them before moving on to the next. Raven closed her eyes as she allowed the pleasurable feeling to wash over her, her toes curling when he pressed down with his digits, moving his fingers in a circle to de-knot her flesh. His fingers pressed down on a particularly knotted bunch of muscles, there was some pain as her stiff and sore muscles were moved and shifted around but the sensation of her aching shoulders being relieved of their tension more than made up for it. More than once she had to stop herself from letting slip a moan of relief as her muscles were loosened by the massage.

For his part, Cole was amazed at just how soft but firm she felt. Her surface skin was rather tender but below that was firm active muscles built up from years of her hero work. Her body was just easy to work over to loosen those muscles. The texture was also just a bit different than he had expected; being rather smooth to the touch. Probably something to do with her demon bloodline but he just got lost in feeling her.

As his hands started to go lower though, Raven finally snapped out of it and realized what was happening before standing up.

"Alright! Alright! That was a .... good effort. Thank you." She said, making sure to hide her flush on her cheeks.

"Ah..., you're welcome. So," Cole said with a little florish of his hand and a small bow, "Anything else I can do to get back in the lady's good graces?"

“Take me to dinner.”

“Le wut?” Cole had to process that a bit before giving a dumb ass response.

“Dinner. Restaurant. Whole spiel. You didn’t get your head hurt that hard?”

“No I’m mean by… mon…”

A pamphlet was shoved in his face, which he quickly read over. It mentioned something about a full moon festival, starting the day after tomorrow, and lasting a whole week. He had seen something about that when reading up on the city, it was a big celebration for some reason. There prices displayed were kinda high but at least reachable for them. More so now with the money the store was making. It would be close but manageable.

“So you want a fancy meal as a way of making it up to you.” he said as he put the pamphlet away.

“Correct." she said, sitting down on the couch with him, "You can pick the restaurant though, so surprise me.”

“I suppose that’s the least I can do but I don’t do fancy myself." he motioned towards himself before shrugging, "Still a lady asks, I should at least give it a shot. Just didn't expect you to do the whole 'fancy dinner' thing yourself.”

“I like to be pampered at times. Besides, a festival about the moon, stars and night? This is entirely up my alley.” she explained as she picked up the remote and started to flip channels.

Cole just nodded. Made sense to him and he wasn't going to push it any further. Meanwhile, Raven was already having a small debate with herself.

“There. We’ll see how adaptable he is and how far he’s willing to go before we we do anything.”

“And then we jump his bones?” that one part of herself whispered in her mind.

“How long has it been?”

“Months girl.”

“…. Maybe.”

_“If you don’t, the moment I get free I will” _came the response.

---

The rest of the night passed by peaceful. Save for sleeping arrangements. Raven had split the bed in half with her magic. Better to make sure he didn’t slam his still healing leg against the barrier. Of course it was harder to explain why the bed was fixed come morning, or the annoyed look Raven had at breakfast.
Fully healed and approved to work again, Cole helped to open and operate the store. Helping people out with finding books, taking orders out there on the floor, or simply watching kids while parents took a look at other sections. This freed up Raven to easily handle the register and get people in and out of the door with no trouble. The two worked together pretty well.

In between all this; Cole asked a few questions. Mainly of what events and restaurants would be open tomorrow. And more to the point what ones Raven might be interested in going to. There were a couple that sounded good.

Lunabon was some fancy french styled place, but had a large balcony patio to better view the night's festivities. Crow's Cove was a high end steak place down by the river, more out of the way but smaller crowd would be there. Finally there was Celestial Skies, which had a mix of different food and cooking styles but the main draw was the built in planetarium into the ceiling, allowing for a spectacular view while dining. Or perhaps look elsewhere?