Stern Morning Mark II

A sense of warmth was the first indication that she was waking up. Senses slowly turning on and feeding into her mind. The warmth of the bed, the smell of the sheets, the feeling of someone else’s heart beat. All common feelings to wake up to…,

“Wait a minute.”

Raven’s eyes snapped open and started to take stock of her surroundings. Still in that large bed, so she had to still in that house supplied by Cupid’s Wish. And that must mean the back she was latched onto was Cole’s. Yes, at some point during their sleep, Raven had not only dissipated the wall but had clung to the Boxer like she was holding on to dear life. Her arms were wrapped around his middle, her body snuggled up against him.

Cole seemed to still be sleeping so he couldn’t have done this or reacted in anyway. This was all her own doing. With this in mind, Raven processed this and reacted as one should be expected.

“Zen!” She screamed inwardly as she quickly summoned her magic for the trip back into her metal plane.

Raven landed once more in the white void with the single room cells just floating about. Quickly tracing where all the colored mist was gathering, she saw the object of her ire. With dark energy brewing behind her with each step, Raven marched up to this ‘Zen’ side of her in order to give her a piece of her mind.

"Zen, the hell is going on here! Why am I like this!" She demanded.

"Why are you like what Raven?" The Custodian copy of the hero asked.

"Why am I wrapped around Cole like a some kinda bimbo!?! It’s so unbecoming and embarrassing! You’re supposed to help me manage emotions, not make me act on them!"

"I understand your complaint but one has little control over your subconscious, more so when you are asleep. I am here to help with your emtional state while awake. While this means I can supply you with pleasant dreams, I can't control what your body does while dreaming." Zen made a small wave and a cell came over to the pair. Zen pointed at the cell, "Perhaps you should take your complaints to this one."

The cell was like the others, a simple one room habitat with a plastic window and small gate for the energy to flow through. Inside was tailored to the emotion domain of the Raven that held sway over the cell. It was dominated by a large plush heart shaped bed, with a few dressers placed about. A jacuzzi was in a corner, and a stripper pole in the other. Various assistance aids were scattered about, along with several magazines; mostly about men but a few playboys. There was still enough room for a TV, which was showing a romance movie. And there at the edge of the bed was her.

Wearing nothing but a black fishnet dress, heart pasties over her nipples, and heels, the Raven looked up the book she was reading as she adjusted her posture. Rather that sitting on the bed, she was sitting in a male shaped bundle of their magic, the black frame looking familiar even without features. The emotion gave a little wave with her fingers.

“Lust.” The real Raven growled.

“Prime, darling.” Lust replied, her voice a far more sultry and confident tone as she put the book away, “You never come calling to me like this. Whatever is the problem.” The emotion-clone has a grin wider than a cat that caught a mouse.

“What did you do while I was asleep?” Raven **** through her clenched teeth.

“Moi?” Lust asked, taking a fake offended pose, “Why nothing you wouldn’t do yourself dear. Simply get you some skin-ship we’ve been longing for.” Raven’s face didn’t change, making Lust roll her eyes, “Oh dear trust yourself. We’re half demon but not so far gone to do anything like what you might be picturing. Just some light cuddling."

"Besides…," Lust spun around so her front was facing the shadow construct, her arms draped around it's shoulders, "Its far more fun if they’re an active part of it. Don’t you think Prime?" She called over her shoulder as she shook her chest in the face of the construct.

Raven had pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Lust, I would appreciate it if for once you didn’t just throw us at the first halfway good looking man we come across." She muttered.

"Maybe if you’d admit your feelings and needs a bit more, I wouldn’t"” Lust answered, “You’ve gone cold turkey on a lot of things as of late. What's the harm in getting a little snuggle." Lust pulled the construct into her cleavage with a coo, "You can’t blame me for acting up when presented with such a hunk of meat in front of me."

"Cole is more than just flesh to jump on and start humping away!"

"Oh is he now.” Lust asked, her voice sounding like a cat toying with prey, “Well then miss Prime who shook her ass for him, what is Cole to us?"

"I didn’t…," Raven started, turning away just a bit only for Lust cut her off.

"Oh please Miss High Morals Prime." The emotion-clone spat with a turn of her head. "Zen has us locked up but that doesn’t mean we’re blind in here. I could tell you liked teasing him when you realized I wasn’t going to, how's the meme go? 'Assume direct Control' I believe? The low cut jeans, the more sway in your walk, the bit with the sleep wear last night." Lust wore a huge smile as she tore into Raven, "Mmm you enjoyed thinking about what Cole was expecting you to wear. Heck you still have the panty-stocking combo under them!"

"So you can knock on me all you want. I’m as open about what we want. Come on Prime, what’s it gonna be? Maybe just sit on his lap like this?" Lust asked , grinding her hips against the shadow proxy, "Or maybe, just maybe…," The pair were covered by dark energy and when it passed, Lust was face down on the bed, the Shadow copy above her, holding Lust by the hips.

"Maybe we just shake this booty of ours at him when he wakes up and hopes he pins us to the bed, and just goes ten rounds on our ass. Mmm, fuck me you stud...,"

Lust’s words were cut off as the Shadow contact seemed to explode into a series of fabric like threads which tied her up. Making sure Lust was gagged, Raven dispelled her powers. The fact Lust seemingly took enjoyment from it only frustrated her further.

"A tad overboard isn’t she?" Zen asked, moving beside Raven.

"It’s your job to help me deal with them. I hope you learn fast." Raven answered, "By themselves they are all just…, hyper reflections of my emotions. But then again, since you are part of me, that’s something you should know." She let out a grumble as Lust started to shift a bit within the bindings, moaning through the gag.

"Or at least you would realize that pretty fast." Raven muttered as she rested her face in her palm. The clutter of her mind was always a weird thing to try processing.

A thought crossed her mind about what she had said. Zen existed to help her, but only did so due to the choker. Raven took a moment to collect herself and process how her body was against Cole’s in the real world. If she recalled right, she was pressed up against his back, almost embarrassingly so. But that meant something else was too, that being her new choker.

"Zen, you said you were borne from the choker to help manage my emotions. Cole is currently in contact with it. Could you work on him?" Raven asked, turning to face her double.

"Sadly, no." Zen admitted, her voice dipping, "The choker was designed with your mental state in mind. However, I do believe I can help in one way."

Zen summoned forth energy and forms it around her hands, rotating them in a small round shape. With a light push, Zen sent the ball of energy away from her. It started to expand until it took the shape of a small ornate door.

"While in contact, I can summon forth this ‘bridge’ to link you and Cole together. With this you can travel into his mind." Zen explained as she took posistion next to the door. She moved her hand off to the side, as if inviting Raven to enter.

"I must stress though, you will only be able to look. Anything you find on the other side will not be able to be effected. This is merely a way to see his own emotional state, not change it." Zen explained.

Raven started to weigh the pros and cons of invading Cole's mind. It would be rude and a gross overstep of privacy but it could help her get a better idea of what was going on within him.