it's for research, i swear

just a girl trying to understand comics

[danny-chase]

Incomplete List of Raven’s Powers from reading NTT (1980)

Dimension shifting - not teleportation

Learned from Azar: “I learned how to flow between dimensions and how to control the myriad pathways to my destination”

Cannot go through diamond

Appears soundlessly and silently, just with smoke

Can use this to create a smoke screen

Soul self - Raven is able to separate her soul from her body

Her soul self was imbued with Trigon’s essence in Tales of the New Teen Titans #2

This power originally had a five minute limit, which she conquered by having the will to defend herself

She can encapsulate people with her soul self and give them a taste of hell (or just store them in there, though it isn’t pleasant)

The soul self can be shattered - described as causing pure agony

Soul self can render people unconscious

Soul self can carry/transport inanimate objects and living things

Soul self can talk

Soul self can counteract external control to some extent by enveloping the controlled hero

Cannot go through diamond

Soul self can fly

Can take damage from laser blasts but not guns, what hurts the soul self is up in the air - possibly light based attacks, magic, and special substances

Can absorb physical objects, store them, and take them back out, she can let things pass through if necessary

The soul self can still be controlled separately when Raven’s physical form is unconscious

Can survive in space for short periods of time

Can envelop people in it to help them seek out information (maybe related to precognition powers?) - source The New Teen Titans #36

Is susceptible to being controlled by aliens - The New Teen Titans #36

Empathetic healing - has limitations but is also OP af

“Disease is beyond my power to disperse” - Tales of the New Teen Titans #2

“Those pains, those agonies, become my own and they can tear my soul asunder.” - Tales of the New Teen Titans #2

“Oh, they stay… in all too many ways they remain with me forever.” - Tales of the New Teen Titans #2

Cuts disappear from the target of healing, reappear on Raven, then disappear completely

She can heal people from near drowning (somehow yeets the water out of lungs?)

This power drains Raven, making her pass out at times

Power is also corrupted by Trigon’s possession, he blocks her ability to expel the pain completely

Empathy - ability to sense and take away the emotions of other

“Raven is an empath, a conduit for emotions she is not allowed to experience for herself” - Legends of the DC Universe #18

“A healer of souls… she can dig into your deepest sub-conscious. She can take your most terrible pains… and make them her own. She can reach into your mind and imperceptibly alter it. She can sense your deepest fears, and exploit them. She can learn of your truest love… and…” - The New Teen Titans #14

Is able to sense evil and power level

Possibly came from Arella - it’s stated that Arella’s emphatic powers were increased on Azarath, may be her mother’s side of the family (The New Teen Titans #6)

Can sense who pain/emotions are coming from if she already knows the person

Can sense when someone’s dying/is dead/is alive

Can reach out to Gar and sooth his emotions while he’s in beast form - does this extend to animals?

Can sense “mental blockage”

Can draw out someone’s inner strength

Strength sapping - can draw the power from people

Used in The New Teen Titans #6 on Trigon in coordination with Arella

Precognition - limited

She sometimes gets flashes of the future, they are uncontrolled

Language absorption - Annual #5 of The New Titans

Two fingered touch to the forehead lets Raven learn the language of the person she touches

Immunity - is unable to get disease

Is also unable to cure disease, could there be a connection?

Dreams/Nightmares - has the ability to influence others’ dreams

Used on Dick Grayson once in the first issue and then never brought up again

Unconsciousness - The New Teen Titans #19

Is able to previous render people unconscious with a touch

Lasts long enough for her to slip away

Hallucinations - has the ability to make others hallucinate

Used on Grant Wilson to show him the Titans defeated

Enthrallment - is able to make others love her

Used intentionally on Wally West

Can’t undo it

Knowledge extraction - The New Teen Titans #21

Can force information out of people with a touch

Sometimes happens unintentionally and subconsciously when someone steps through her soul self

Works even when person is “mentally blocked” (comatose/unconscious)

Technology manipulation - ???

Picked up a phone and makes it call someone without dialing or knowing the number

Blasts - she can blast people away from her

Generally only happens in demon form

Death Stare - her death can become deadly

Only used in nearly possessed form - Tales of the Teen Titans #46

Fabric manipulation

While Trigon has nearly possessed her soul, she’s able to grab someone using her cloak - Tales of the Teen Titans #56

Also happens while possessed in The New Teen Titans #31

Empathetic Rebound - can make people feel the pains she’s previously absorbed

Only used in nearly possessed form - Tales of the Teen Titans #56

Turning into a giant Raven

Once she got contact high on PCP in a drug PSA and it made this happen

Okay to be fair this one’s not technically in NTT but I’m including it

[soundtracker27]

Love this! So helpful.

[jonskory]

i see a lot of metas and takes on kory and relationships but i don't think i've ever seen one about her relationship with her father. personally i find that shocking given that it's myand'r's treatment of her that i honestly believe to be one of the root causes for the way kory approaches relationships.

like, just to recap:

myand'r casts aside his firstborn daughter because she's disabled and gives away her birthright and it's heavily implied, and shown, that he favours kory over kom

he raised kory in a way that had her idolizing him, but also her being prepped to be the next queen meant there'd be more pressure on her

he sends kory and kom to okaara so they can train without telling either of them why (because he hoped that they'd be the ones to stand up to the gordanians)

makes a peace treaty using kory as a bargaining chip, effectively sentencing her to slavery for six years and with the justification that he - and her; because years later when kory would talk about her time in the citadel to the titans, she'd always use the excuse that her father did it for their people, that she did it for their people and that's just truly fucked up - was protecting their people

years later arranges a marriage to karras for kory without consulting her effectively damaging dick and kory's relationship at the time, and uses the same justification that it's to save their people's lives

after kory and karras' wedding is interrupted by kom, and they are attacked, myand'r sides with kom and asks kory to agree to the new rule because he wants peace

the thing with myand'r and kory is that to me i think he saw a lot of his mother in her and that coloured the way he treated her specifically. he was very much affected by seeing his mother sell herself into slavery to protect their people and that sparked a mentality in him that tamaran is more important than an individual. it's that mentality that allowed him to view kory as a tool to ensure their people's survival.

this isn't to say that i believe he didn't love her. he loved her immensely. as far as the comics show, kory is his favourite child. but that still doesn't change the fact that he wasn't a good father at all.

so how does that affect the way kory approaches relationships?

easy: myand'r gave kory abandonment issues.

one thing that really bothered me throughout kory's appearances throughout the comics is that there are so many instances of kory being afraid of being alone, latching on to people, having extreme reactions when she thinks she's about to be left (that which gave me second hand embarrassment ngl, girl you're so much better than these men you don't need to be crying over them), but at the same time pulling away because she doesn't want to be dependent, and yet it's never acknowledged.

yeah there was that time when she went to therapy but that was one moment and it still wasn't specifically acknowledged. a lot of people say that dick gave kory self esteem and abandonment issues but i disagree.

the way i see it, he exacerbated issues that were already there. (me disagreeing with the way he treated her in NTT when he wasn't lovey dovey with her is a whole other post). the first person that abandoned kory was her father and that was something she never came to terms with.

any outsider looking in can say that what myand'r did to her was all kinds of fucked up but kory defends him to anyone who does. and i fully believe it's because of the fact that she doesn't know how to reconcile the fact that the father she idolized and adored was also the same man responsible for her ending up in a place that gave her so many awful memories. and then on top of that, him siding with the woman who was - for all intents and purposes - her master. i also think that because kom was the one who was actively involved in how kory was treated at the citadel, it made it easier for kory to hate her sister than her father who put her in that situation in the first place.

(and some other time i'll talk about how guilt plays a big part imo in myand'r and luand'r accepting kom's rule)

kory's marriage to karras almost destroyed her and dick, and that was something that myand'r did. he put her in a position where she couldn't say no, using both guilt and the values that he got from his mother. values that he eventually gave to his daughter because kory values tamaran more than she does her own life. she's sacrificed her own happiness for her people multiple times and where else would she have learned that from?

it's why looking back now at that infamous panel where dick tells kory he's no longer in love with her, that her resigned expression adds up for me because well i'm obsessed with kory and have a tendency to overanalyze everything about her, and because i believe she was expecting it. and not just because they'd been playing that song and dance for quite some time, but also because in the angst part of my brain i think she expects people to eventually leave her.

her father sold her and her mother did nothing. then franklin died, as did karras. then her parents and her planet did. so did ph'yzzon and her planet again. then her child. not to mention donna. and the titans splitting up and going their separate ways.

it's just so clear to me that this is a character that is afraid of being alone but expects it because of everything she's been through and ain't that just sad. and it starts at the top with her father. myand'r is literally the root cause of it.

what i wouldn't give to see a kory solo run explore this.

[soundtracker27]

Yesterday got away from me, so today's is two in one. Day 5 & 6 - "Royalty" and "Tameran/Earth." @koriandrappreciationweek

There's so much Dick Kory romance out there, I like thinking about the time before that when they were just friends. It's a sweet time, I think.

----------

"Royalty" - "Tameran / Earth"

"Alright, take a deep breath. You'll pass this time, I bet." Dick takes the last bite of his hamburger and pushes away the plate. Kory's food is mostly untouched, and she keeps moving the napkin from one side, straightening it and moving it back again.

"It's just that last time there were so many questions about funerals! On my planet, we don't have such things."

"What? What do you do when people die?"

"Oh, we have funerals. I mean, we don't do processions and things, unless you're exceptionally popular, or royalty. Even then, many choose to be burned in a funeral pyre at home, which is tradition." She takes a French fry with ketchup.

"Oh, that's kind of neat. Star Wars-y."

"Yes, I always intended to be burned. It seems like less of a to-do. My family and dearest friends present. No need for a big day!" He is always impressed by her matter of fact dealing with topics that most people shy away from - it's one of the things he admires most about her. "But, you're royalty."

"Not likely ever the Queen though. Although my sister was passed over at birth, my brother Ryand'r is next in line, then me. I never wish to be the one to rule - it's a heavy responsibility. Not that I can go back anyway."

"We should get going." He nods towards the door, they leave a tip and walk down the sidewalk toward the DMV. "Do you think it's a good system? Your monarchy."

She twirls around to get some jitters out. It's so good of Dick to make conversation to distract her from this dreadful test. He's been such a good friend to her, sensitive to her feelings and ever willing to explain things without making her feel stupid. He thinks so deeply too - questions like this are common, and she loves every moment of their discussions.

He's a bit of a tight ass though about rules, and absolutely refuses to let her take the wheel until she's passed this damn test. Oh well...

"I think it is a good system. It's quite different than what you have here, but for Tamaran it has worked for many generations. The people's needs are well represented by our high council. When I was a child my father was deeply loved for his valiant defense of our planet against many enemies." She pauses and reflects a moment, realizing just how much life has happened and that her childhood years are long past.

"Though... I've been away so long I don't know how things are now."

They've arrived at the DMV building now and it's time to focus. Although Dick trusts Kory with his life in a fight, he's not above mother-henning her now, and accompanies her to the front desk to make sure things go smoothly. She doesn't seem to mind.

"Hi! I want to take a permit test today!"

The bored receptionist looks at her perky face and bleakly smiles, "Sure hon, take a number and fill out this form, then wait back in that room - what's your title preference for when we call you?"

"Princess." "Miss." Kory and Dick answer simultaneously, then dart glances at each other before awkwardly staring at the poor receptionist.

"Yes, Miss. Miss Kory Anders." Typically unphased, Kory barely notices the skeptical glance the DMV employee shoots her way as she slides the form over for her to sign. Kory does, giving her signature flourish under the 'y.'

"Right this way, Miss Anders." Kory giggles and makes an excited face at Dick. He returns with a helpful thumbs up, and settles in his chair with a book to wait for her to finish. Today she'll pass, he knows it.

[soundtracker27]

Better late than never! Day 4, I think?? @koriandrappreciationweek

The prompt was "Fighting" and I chose Gar Logan as Kory's patrol buddy. I find their relationship challenging - he's an absolute menace in the NTT era. Anyway. Here's today!

------------------

Fighting

"What are you doing!? Changeling! Move!!"

Starfire sprints across the warehouse floor and vaults herself into the air, shooting her fiery red blasts through the escape hatch that's been cut into the roof by their quarry. She can't for the life of her understand what happened to Gar down there. He just froze - stopped his shape shifting in mid air, melting from a hawk right down to his normal self and is now stuck, huddled in the corner.

Standing on the roof of the warehouse, Star glares into the distance, unable to see any trace of their man. Her hair is still aflame, her fists clenched. Garfield will answer for this - he will!

She turns swiftly and angrily flies down to the dark room below. Gar isn't where she left him. A swift sweep of the warehouse reveals his silhouette against the double doors, leaning, shoulders shaking. In spite of her fury a moment before, Star feels her heart begin to soften. He seems so young all of a sudden.

She lands softly behind him, puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Kory. I blew that."

"You did. But we're both alive. And we can finish the job later. What happened?" She gently leads him to a place to sit, a pile of crates in haphazard fashion in the center of the warehouse. Although anxious to catch the thief, she restrains her impatience to tend to her friend. The team can follow the trail in the morning when everyone is back on duty.

"I started thinking about my parents. I don't know why, they just flashed through my mind and my body just broke - I could barely stop myself from crashing to the floor."

She doesn't quite understand. Although she relives her own trauma daily, in her dreams, in moments that flash through her mind uncalled for and undesired, Starfire has never been struck senseless by them. They fuel her, push her forward, give her purpose. When she flies, it is either spurred by the utter joy she feels in the sunshine or love for her friends, or by the fury she remembers down in her very bones. Fury at her captivity, toward those who tortured and used her, and the betrayal experienced at the hands of those that she should be able to trust the most. Since the first moment of her captivity, Starfire vowed to fight for her own freedom, and to never ever stop if called to aid another in their own liberation.

But how to explain to this broken boy?

"Gar... all I know how to say is that you can hold those memories in your heart and let them propel you, strengthen you."

"But these memories break me, Kory. I can't be a reliable member of our team with this crippling me."

"I know how painful it can be, truly I do. But you CAN learn to live with them, and to let them flow through you, becoming a part of you and your life mission."

"What is your life mission, Kory?"

She sits in silence for a moment, reflecting.

"To do everything I can, with whatever means necessary, to make sure that offers never suffer what I've suffered."

"That's why you're a Titan, Kory. I just hope I can be worthy of that title too."

"Be patient with yourself, Gar. This... All of it... Takes time."

She gets up to begin their trek home. "Feeling better?" He gives a half nod. "A bit. Race you home, loser buys ice cream?"

"It's on."

Red and green streak through the sky, startling the peaceful night walkers on the streets of Manhattan.

[soundtracker27]

Day 3, "Home" - @koriandrappreciationweek

I love thinking of them like a family. They come from vastly different backgrounds but have found a safe place together. Friends are the family you choose for yourself. ❤️

-------

"Home"

It's been strangely quiet in Titans Tower today. Gar and Raven have been out running errands, Dick has been busy with a lab analysis for Bruce.

Kory softly mouths along to the words of the song she's got playing in her ear buds, and wanders through the dormitory floor looking for Donna. "He-lloooo? Donna?"

Donna pops her head out of their shared bathroom, brushing her teeth. "Hey honey, wanna pick up bagels with me for the meeting later?" Kory almost leaps for joy. Any time with Donna is a good time - she's the best friend she's ever made and Kory is beyond grateful that Donna doesn't seem to mind her awkward unfamiliarity with earth. "Let me change into something cute!"

She dashes in her room and comes out moments later trying to zip a summery dress. Donna finishes the zip, checks her phone to send a text and the two head downstairs, Kory dangling her high heels on her fingertips, and Donna pulling her hair into a pony.

Kory bounces into the kitchen only to be shocked by a spray of streamers in her face.

"Surprise!!!!" yells one voice. "Happy anniversary on Earth Day!" yells another.

"Glad you're here, Goldie." Vic says.

"Well, oh my goodness! What is this about!?" Kory is amazed and ready for whatever this pleasant surprise happens to be. Everyone is here - Gar, Rae, Vic, Wally, Dick.

Dick hands her a small, nicely wrapped gift and kisses her cheek. "You've been with us for exactly a year, Kory." "A year?" "Yup, one whole revolution around the sun."

Garfield pipes in, "And what a year it's been, huh? You've tasted pizza and cotton candy, put the Scarapelli gang behind bars, ridden on your first subway and been to a Yankees game."

"And learned to be a pretty good barista at Kelly's, and balanced a modeling job with being a badass crime fighter." Wally always knows how to compliment her in the ways that mean the most. She shoots him a beaming grin. "Thanks, Wally. I think this has been the best year of my whole life!"

Gar puts a paper birthday crown on her head and the team drags her over to sit on the couch. Each has a gift for her - from Raven, a book, from Dick, a pretty "T" necklace that hides the world's tiniest spy cam. Donna ordered those furry boots she had been eyeing from Macy's. "Sorry they haven't come yet! I didn't think of it in time." Kory throws her arms around her friend. "This is the best day of my whole life!"

"We're poor, so we went together and got this album for your polaroid photos!" Gar presents a pretty pink photo binder from him and Wally both.

"Poor? I'm a skeptic," Vic chimes in. "The rise and fall of the good fortune of Logan is a mysterious thing indeed," Gar quips back.

"Alright princess, here's my gift. Dick helped me with it, with some assistance from the Justice League database. Click the button on top." Victor hands her a small metal orb with etchings all over, and a small red button on the top. She clicks it and the orb opens like a flower and shines a hologram on the ceiling with what looks like the night sky filled with stars.

Vic looks at Dick to launch an explanation. "No, you go ahead, this was your brilliant idea and mostly your hard work. I was a consultant."

"Okay. So this is my best guess at the Vegan star system, Kory. It's hard to find exact measurements to go off of because, as far as I know, you're the first Tameranean to make contact with earth. I took some maps off the ship you crashed when you arrived, and did some educated guessing to fill in some bits. But my best guess is that Tameran would be right about here." He points to a pinkish haze in the upper left of the quadrant of the hologram.

Eyes wide, and brimming with tears, Kory nods. "That seems right. It's the eighth planet in the system." She reaches out to brush the pink spot representing where her life began. "Home," she whispers. "Victor, thank you." She throws her arms around him, and he is pleased knowing his gift hit just right.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone. This has been the most unexpected and wonderful surprise! You all mean so much to me, and... As much as I miss Tameran, you've made Earth a most lovely new home. I don't even know what to say to thank you."

"How about, 'Let's eat' because I'm starving and Vic, jack of all trades that he is, made lasagna!" Dick squeezes her hand and nods towards the table. Kory giggles, "Let's eat, then!"

[soundtracker27]

Alright, @koriandrappreciationweek here's Day 2: "Universe" - had a lot of fun imagining it, silly as it is.

Sorry, I apparently only know how to write novels.

----------

Kory walks into the kitchen on a bright spring morning. There's coffee made - X'hal bless Donna. Kory pours herself a huge cup and starts to take a drink.

"Wait, I think I hate coffee?" She takes a sip and spits it in the sink. Okay, weird day today.

Garfield walks in, green hair slicked over, briefcase in hand.

"Hey honey, I've got to get going early today - big meeting. But I can get off early to grab the kids from soccer. Work for you?"

She hesitates - what on earth is happening this morning? "What kids, Gar?"

He laughs, "you're adorable, sweetie. Our kids! Okay, gotta go." He gives her a peck on the cheek, grabs an apple off the counter and dashes off." Kory watches as his souped up muscle car tears down the road and over the bridge away from Titans Tower. She doesn't have much time to think though because two little girls and a cyborg boy come bounding in, ready for school.

"Mooooooom!!!!! Raven won't let me wear her purple converse!" a 10 year old Donna cries. "She didn't even ask. She just took them." The calm and factual response sounds like the Raven Kory knows, but who on earth is this little girl?

"Can I have my friend Dick over after school today? We are working on a ham radio project and... "

"Vic, I - you're... so tiny." The girls titter as their argument fades.

"Gosh mom, that's not super nice to point out."

"X'hal! I don't think I'm your mom, you guys. I'm your friend, Starfire! I came from Tameran- I'm dating Dick and I'm roommates with Donna and I have a modeling job!"

Donna matter of factly pats Kory on the cheek. "Mom, we love you but you're old, and we're kids. And unless you're hiding something, I think you work at Macy's. I don't know who Dick is but we won't tell dad." She giggles.

Raven glances out the window and sees their bus coming up the road in the distance. "Time to go, I'm not getting in trouble again today." She tugs Victor out and Donna scampers after. "Bye mom!!" "Byeeeee!"

She instinctively kisses each of them on the tops of their heads. She may not be their mom, but they do seem to need one anyway.

"Okay, bye sweeties. Hope you have a good day at school."

Kory pours herself another cup of coffee, adds four spoonfuls of sugar and sits down on the couch utterly bewildered. This time she manages a few sips. For a long time she's harbored hopes to be married, and to have kids... Dick's kids. But this, X'hal! This is just too weird.

"What on the actual earth is happening right now!? Married to Garfield!? Working at Macy's?! What even is Macy's!?"

She walks to the big wall where the team hangs all their favorite photos, hoping to see the familiar faces of the team after that night at Lazeli's pizza, or the picture of her and Donna at the New Years party at Wayne Manor. Where are all the photos of Dick? She's taken a million and at least a few were up on the wall, she was sure. The one of him, Wally and Roy after highschool graduation - the one of she and Dick teaching Lian to ride a bike on her 2nd birthday. Where did it all go?

The telephone rings. She isn't sure she wants to answer it, but maybe it will bring some clarity to this utterly confusing moment. "He-hello?"

"Oh Hi Mrs. Logan, Kory." It's the deep, quiet voice of Bruce Wayne.

Now this is unusual - he's never directly called the Tower before, especially not to talk with her. Dick's dad is nice, just rather standoffish when it comes to Kory. It's been improving but she just hasn't been able to break through that wall yet. "This is Bruce Wayne. I just wanted to call and make sure that you knew the boys were planning on working on ham radio tonight at the manor. I know sometimes Dick forgets to tell me when he's going to be out and I get so worried. You just never know with crime in the city these days. I just thought I'd call and let you know!"

"Oh um, Bruce, thank you so much. Yes, Vic mentioned it."

"Great! Alfred will make sure they eat. Have a good one." The phone clicks silent. She's just utterly bewildered. She flops back on the couch, unsure of what to do next. The phone rings again but it sounds further away this time, and she's feeling rather lazy and decides not to get it. Maybe she'll just close her eyes for a few minutes and the solution will present itself.

Suddenly her eyes pop open. The phone continues to ring but Dick, oh! Her actual 22 year old boyfriend is standing in the kitchen, hands covered in pizza sauce.

"Hey babe, so sorry - can you grab that? I was just in the middle of making this, Sorry it woke you up!"

Kory flies off the couch to the kitchen, then backtracks to the picture wall. There it is - Kory with a champagne flute, Donna in that strappy black dress with Terry hanging his arm around both the girls' shoulders. Smiling the biggest smiles. Kory smiles now and dashes to the kitchen and wraps herself around Dick Grayson. He helplessly holds up his dirty hands. She breathes, "I'm so glad to be back."

"I'm pretty sure you were only asleep for like ten minutes." He washes off his hands, then gives her a real hug.

She sighs and shakes her head, "Actually, it felt like a lifetime."

[givemewallywestorgivemedeath]

Don't mind me, I'm just going absolutely feral over the quality Titans content today

[soundtracker27]

Hoo boy, it's my first crack at a fan fic conversation. But I had to for my girl Kory. :) @koriandrappreciationweek

Sisters -

A beautiful sunny day outside Titan's Tower. It's mid spring, and Raven is putting in some hours towards the great outdoors, working on getting things trimmed and weeded in the small vegetable and flower garden she's been cultivating since living here.

Kory wanders in, trowel in hand but obviously distracted. She sighs and sits on the stone frame of the garden bed.

Raven: If you focus your mind on the soil, it will calm you.

Silence. Kory breathes deeply, staring at the soil, praying it will soothe her the way it seems to for Raven.

Raven: If you don't focus on the soil, the flower won't last, or won't bloom at all.

Kory: (slightly joking) Are you trying to say something mystical to me because I'm in a crisis?

It's tempting to laugh at her; Kory is always a little bit dramatic. But there's something here today that needs attention.

Kory: (quietly) Raven, I *am* in a crisis.

Raven: I know.

Kory: I miss home. I mean, I love it here - I love love LOVE it here! I'm happier than I've been since being taken from Tameran. And everyone has been so kind and teaching me things all the time, and this team is made of the best friends I've ever had!!

Raven: But?

Kory: I just keep thinking. In my mind I've kept my family preserved in crystal as my most precious memory. I miss them so much, I would give anything to be with them again.

Raven: But?

Kory: I'm afraid that maybe they aren't - of maybe they didn't do... I just. My sister betrayed us all.

Raven: And your parents let you be sacrificed for their freedom.

Kory: They did what they had to do! I understand that - it was their duty.

Raven: Do you?

Kory: (breathlessly) ...I thought I did.

Raven lets the moment sit. She's a master at sensing the need for a reflective pause.

Kory: Every day of my captivity I survived on a burning hatred of Komand'r. I bent all of my confusion and pain toward her, the focal point of my life's suffering.

She picks at the soil, crunching up some eggshells that Raven had scattered between her fingers.

Kory: But sometimes I wonder if she's not the only one to blame. And then I feel guilty because while I would jump on the chance of getting home in a heartbeat, I'm afraid, too.

Raven: There are many moments in life when we hold conflicting emotions in the palm of our hand.

Kory: Sometimes when I'm fighting here, all I can see is Kom's mocking face as I was dragged away to the Citadel and my mind goes berserk. Donna is worried that I'll lose my grip. (more softly) As does Dick.

Raven: You are immensely suffering, Kory.

Kory: I would never lose my grip! But... I don't want them to worry. Raven, this is the only thing in my life I've ever felt unclear about. I usually know who I am and what I'm about - no gray areas. but this... I'm just, confused. And hurt. And lonely.

Raven: Kory... I can bring relief to you in this moment. But only you can examine and heal what happened with your family.

Raven briefly touches Kory's forehead, absorbs some of her current mental anguish. Kory doesn't realize what has been done, but notices feeling a bit uplifted.

Kory: I know. I'm just... Scared. But, I feel more hopeful now that we've talked. Thanks, Rae.

Raven: The team is here for you.

Kory: (squeezing her hand) Raven, you're like the sister I always wanted to have.

Raven is a bit taken aback. She's good at soothing, but not at being the recipient of these genuine and loving words.

Raven: Well, don't get too comfy, I'm not too in to the sister bestie thing.

Kory: What I mostly need is a friend. And you are that.

They share a smile - Kory's wide and beaming, Raven's quiet and fleeting. Both happy, both themselves.

Raven: (dead serious) Okay, but if you're gonna be in my garden either help or get out.

Kory laughs and starts pulling up the weeds.

[givemewallywestorgivemedeath]

SCREAMS

Oh man, I love the tribute and also? What a glow up.

[thatdude-noah]

Teen Titans headers | Gabriel Picolo

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