Three hours later, once we've all showered and patched up our various bruises, Thea, Ruby and I end up in my room. The same place I stayed at whenever I slept over at my cousins' house, which is now my refuge. When I told my dad that I was back, and I just needed some space, he agreed to let me stay here, where I was close but still had room to move, in a way. I repainted my room since I came back, and the walls are now a royal blue. The dark timber floor is the same as I remembered it, as is the king single bed with dark blue and white sheets. This room was my childhood, I swear. And it's good that I got to come back to it like this, so different from anywhere else I stayed.
Thea flops down on the pastel blue beanbag in the corner like a puppet, her head resting against the wall. Ruby, on the other hand, sits down on the chair in front of the dresser with a little bit more dignity, shooting her half-sister a look that clearly was meant to mean something, but I couldn't understand what.
I, as I try not to snicker at their antics, stay upright, and walk over to my wardrobe. Opening the sliding mirror door, I pull out two large brown paper bags. For old times' sake, though neither cousin would understand the reference, I had lined the top of the bags with tissue paper- silver for Thea, and gold for Ruby. I sigh quietly, but Thea and Ruby don't give any indication that they heard it. I allow myself to frown, and bite the inside of my cheek. Go away, memories, I don't want you here right now, I decide, shaking my head slightly.
Stepping back from the closet and turning around to face the two, I force myself to smile again, to hide my inner conflict. "I was thinking about giving you pair some long-ass speech about what this all means to me and should mean to you, but both of you have heard my ramblings before." Identical grins appear on the girls' faces as they remember the three hours I spent telling them my story and what we were going to do now, which happened the day after they picked me up from the train station.
Mind to the moment, I think, grinning for a second as a good memory surfaces. Well, as good as a memory of stealing my weapon, finding my best friend and tasering my father can be, I suppose. I beckon to Thea, and she stands up, looking a little apprehensive. I don't blame her, there could be anything in the bag I made for her. I hold up the brown paper bag with silver lining, and giggle at her expression for a moment before she takes the bag. As she does, I nod my approval. "Welcome to the team... Falcon."
"Thanks," Thea replies, sitting down on the beanbag, and opening the gift.
I gesture for Ruby to stand up as well, and she does. I hold out the remaining package, still trying not to laugh at her expression as she takes it. "Here you go ... Nightingale," I decide on her name as I say it, and by the thoughtful expression on my cousin's face, she's accepted what I chose.
"Alright, open them up," I urge the two, rubbing my hands together as an old habit of mine. I see the anticipation on their faces, and Thea takes out her gift first. She holds up a pair of boy shorts.
"What the fuck?" She asks, looking confused.
"Yeah, these are your costumes."
"Alrighty then..."
"Go get changed, and you'll see." I gesture towards my ensuite, and Thea grins at me.
"Sounds like a good idea, actually," she replies, putting everything back in the paper, and walking out of the room.
Ruby, who has been watching what her sister has been doing, grins at me now and opens up her bag eagerly. But she frowns when she pulls out material of a brownish grey colour. "Brown? Why brown? It's poopy."
I burst into laughter, doubling over and wiping a tear from my eyes after a moment. "Poopy? Oh my god, Ru... Nightingales are brown, naturally. If we're ever running through the bushland, you'll be good, because that particular shade is for camoflauge." That's what I end up saying, once the laughter gets out of my system somewhat.
Before Ruby can think up some sort of sarcastic reply, the door opens again and Thea returns. I can't help but smile as I take in her outfit. She wears dark combat boots with knives tucked into them, the pair of black-and-brown camo cargo boy shorts she had held up in confusion before, a dark brown top with elbow-length sleeves, black leather archer cuffs and a black eye mask that points a little like a beak on the nose. I notice that Thea has put up her dark hair in a ponytail as well, but her hair is so short that it barely holds together.
I nod, liking the way that my idea has worked. "Looks good, Falcon. I'm glad I chose those for you."
Thea grins at me, and Ruby takes the opportunity to use the ensuite to get changed as well.
"Well," she says, "the boy shorts aren't normally my style, but I'm willing to take a chance. Something different." She sits down on the bed, and looks at me curiously. "When will you show us your costume?"
I sigh, closing my eyes for a second, remembering the clothes that I had folded up and put away for safekeeping when I'd arrived. "When Ruby comes back, I'll get my costume out. It's not exactly as it was when I left The Cr-" I break off, clear my throat, and continue nervously, "the group of people I was with."
Thea looks unconvinced. "You were about to say something, weren't you? What was it?"
I hesitate, praying to whoever is out there that Ruby comes back before Thea makes me answer, because my cousin's intent gaze is beginning to make me nervous by now. Thankfully, the door opens for the second time, and the youngest of our trio walks back in.
I can't help but smile at the expression on Ruby's face as she holds up the dark brown eye mask that I'd given her. It is an expression of excitement and a little bewilderment, but she looks happy with her costume. A brown-grey halter top with long gloves of a similar colour, and the brown material she'd held up before? Those were the thick tights that she now wears over dark brown combat boots. She has a golden belt, with pouches for her ninja stars.
"Me likey," Ruby grins, spinning slowly in a circle to show off the single plait she'd put her hair up in as well as the back of her costume. I nod.
"Turned out well, actually. Okay. You both wanted to see the real Raven, didn't you?" I feel a sort of excited chill saying the words, as I remember the part of me which I had locked away with the costume.
Both girls nod excitedly, and sit down back where they had originally been sitting - Thea on the beanbag, Ruby at the desk - and I roll my eyes in slight exasperation. "Fine. Give me a little bit to find my costume and stuff, though, I decided to change a couple of things."
----
Ten minutes later, I wander out to my cousins, dressed in my new and improved costume. I wear a new black long-sleeved leotard, dark grey tights, combat boots like the other two girls but in black, the Quill belt I had recieved for Christmas last year, and my old mask and gloves. And, of course, my necklace.
"Well?" I ask, not quite sure what their reactions would be. At first, it is a kind of stunned silence that meets me, and I begin to become nervous.
"You look incredible. I don't even recognise you." I turn to look at Ruby, who smiles up at me.
"Yeah. You're really her, aren't you? The Raven? As in, the one who ran around with Toxic and Green Arrow and the others?" Thea chimes in, looking excited now.
I can't help but laugh. "Yeah, Thee, that's me. Well, it was, anyway. That Raven is gone, at least for now." I pull a face, and cross my arms defensively. "And now you two will be a part of this story, in being my companion and sidekick. Thea, I know you didn't stop training in weapons and fitness, so you'll be my companion. Ruby, I need to train you a little bit; your skills are a little rusty, so for now Nightingale will be Raven's sidekick. We'll train in uniform soon, but for tonight, let's relax and watch a movie or two."
