"I don't understand, this country has its own council, why have they not dealt with this issue?", Adyn looked between Raven and Damian, searching for a response.
"What council?", Damian's father asked, almost mimicking Adyn in the way that he searched for answers.
Damian sighed, knowing fully well what was to happen.
There was no way that he could keep all his secrets, if they were to get through these times. Meeting the gaze of his closest friend, Damian exhaled, portraying his defeat.
Turning to Bruce, The Robin confessed, "It would be best if we explained to everyone- about...", he searched for the correct term.
"Our kind?", Raven offered.
Damian inclined his head, "Our kind and the others."
"That would save confusion.", Adyn commented, nodding his head in Damian's direction.
Raven added, "Given the situation, it would be best if we did disclose such information."
Bruce nodded his head at the trio, feigning understanding, "I'll arrange it."
Seeing that as a dismissal, Damian left without so much as a word, stalking past his father with a shoulder and countenance akin to that of ice. Concern in her heart, indifference worn on her face, Raven followed after Damian, intending to have a few words with him.
Not wanting to be left alone with the Batman in the Bat cave, Adyn ran after her.
Bruce stood alone. Running a hand down his face wearily, the Batman took controlled breaths, inhaling and exhaling steadily.Unfolding his arms, Bruce held them steadily by his side, barely reeling in his emotions. Clenching and unclenching his jaw, he continued breathing slowly.
Stiffly, Bruce sat in his chair, massaging his temples.
Why was there so much that he didn't know about his own son? And why, after two months, had he still not properly spoken to Damian?
Bruce knew he was driving his son further away, but he just didn't know how to make things better.
Just over two years ago, he sent his antisocial son off to the titans. Throughout that time, he had only seen Damian a few times; yet since bringing Jonathan to Kori and Dick, Clarke had visited him almost every week.
It was clear to The Batman that staying with the titans had positively impacted Damian, yet the boy (Bruce wondered if he could even call him that) was so much more closed off. Damian had always kept his affairs private, however He was just so... unresponsive. Well, to Bruce anyway.
After all that had happened with Talia and then the Court of Owls, Bruce should have taken the opportunity to grow closer to his son rather than push him away.
Another regret to add to the extensive list.
Sighing once more, Bruce sent out a message to the League in the Bat-computer. They were due to meet that day anyways, but it would do well to alert the League before hand.
***
"Damian?"
The boy in question turned to face the caller-not that he needed to, her voice was enough to tell who it was.
"Yes, Raven?"
She fell in to step besides him, not bothering to make any other comment. Placidly, the two walked side by side, through the corridors.
Focusing on the feeling of her feet hitting the floor, Raven attempted to push back the thoughts flying through her mind at a million miles per hour.
When they came to the corridor containing their separate suites, Damian opened the door to his room, holding it open for Raven to go through first.
Shutting the door after him, Damian leaned against the wall, standing besides Raven.
Tilting his head down at her, Damian's expression softened, "What is it?"
The purple-haired demoness tucked a stray stand of hair behind her, more out of habit than due to irritation. Looking up at Damian through her lashes, Raven rested her head against the wall, parallel to him.
"Are you sure about this? We can take care of the problem without revealing it to all to the others.", she said, concern alive within her eyes.
Damian shook his head, "We're not revealing everything. Nothing personal. Only giving them some knowledge of the preternatural- it will be needed in the near future."
Raven couldn't' disagree with that.
They stayed silent for a moment, lost in thought. Finally, Raven flicked her eyes upon to stare in to his.
"But are you ready for them to know?", she asked earnestly, brow furrowed in concern.
Damian nodded mutely, folding his arms. Head tilted backwards, he stared at the window, focusing on the shaft of light beaming through the gap in the drawn curtains.
Standing up straight, Raven sighed, "Well, if you're sure... there's nothing more to say."
Responding with a hum of agreement, Damian watched Raven leave his room, shutting the door softly behind herself.
***
"Yeah, so that's all that's happening in my area- s'all good.", the Flash concluded, shrugging his shoulders.
The Justice League, Titans and other assorted people (most of the Batclan) took a moments break, many not even bothering to try and figure out what Barry had been saying.
"Right,", Superman cleared his throat, gaining the other's attention, "Bru-Batman,", he corrected, " has called for another meeting."
Cue dramatic groans from most of the Leaguers. Batman should probably have cut down on those meetings- they were too much to deal with.
"Please tell me there's an actual reason this time.", Hal grumbled, hanging his head.
Before Bruce could respond, Dick chimed in, "There's gotta be, otherwise we wouldn't be here."
The Batfam and Titans (plus Adyn) nodded in agreement: a few "hear, hear!"s rang out of the small crowd.
"There's always a reason."
Cue dramatic eye rolls.
Batman needed to tone down his dramatic-ness: it was getting quite ridiculous.
"But,", Damian interjected, "this time there is more reasoning behind this."
Naturally, Jason made a curse-filled proclamation about Damian being 'a fucking dramatic little twat who knew too much for his own little fucking good': if you were to remove the more colourful cusses.
"Language!", Nightwing chided, shaking a finger at Jason.
Rolling his eyes at them, Damian raised an eyebrow in this father's direction, seeking permission to continue.
"This meeting has been called to share vital information to all members of the Titans and Justice League,", Robin began formally.
Out of the corner of his mouth, Cyborg whispered, "Well, shit got serious.", causing Hal to stifle a chuckle.
Seeing that Damian was becoming agitated, Raven stepped in to the situation, commanding silence as she spoke.
"Rarely in the last few thousand years have the non-preternatural learned of the information we are to share.", the authority she exercised was well felt, "However, considering the oncoming... circumstances, it is imperative that all here are made aware of the other."
That ominous note left all before her with many questions, but, of course, Barry was the first to voice his.
"What's 'preternatural' mean? Is it like supernatural?- cause that would be awesome!", he looked between the two speakers, grinning boyishly.
Inclining his head, Damian responded, "Quite."
Smirking at the many stunned expressions, he continued, "I'm sure you recall the prior mentioning of 'vampires',", he, Raven and Adyn wrinkled their noses in disgust at the term, "they're amongst many creatures supposedly of legend and mythology that humans and other life-forms are unaware of."
"Like?", Jason prompted.
"Before we start listing names, it's important to understand the categories which the preternatural can fall in to.", Raven said. "The main four are the mythical, animalistic, spectral and humanoid."
Damian expanded, " The mythical consists of beings with strictly mythical and religious associations such as demigods, demons", he gestured in the direction of were Wonderwoman and Wondergirl stood together, "godly warriors, gods themselves and so on."
Office-style, the rooms occupants turned to stare at the two- ignoring Aquaman in the corner. Some stared were accusing, others just as confused as those on the Amazons' faces.
"But how are we not aware of this?", Diana asked, playing with the coiled rope at her waist.
It was Adyn who spoke this time, surprising the others as he had seemed to take the backseat in this discussion.
"As warriors created to 'protect humanity'", he scoffed, finding the notion wryly amusing, " it would hardly be in the favour of our kind to expose ourselves to you.", again he laughed. "That hero complex your lot carry about would have ended most of the 'bad' ones thousands of years ago."
The demon smirked at their enraged faces, having anticipated such reactions. The Hell-dwellers always were ones to stir trouble and provoke, regardless of how nice the individual may be.
"Perhaps there's a reason for that.", Diana said, rising to her full, imposing height.
Rather than shy away he would usually do at such a show of power, Adyn continued smirking, relaxing his stance unaffectedly.
"Well-"
Cautious of creating a war between species, Raven stepped in- it would grant her no favours if either held enmity between them.
"Let's leave it at the point that perhaps the Amazonian and Demonic entities hold different values,", she tried for peace, "it stands to reason that the other which are darker in nature haven't had much contact with the light."
Nonetheless she sent a sharp look in Wonderwoman's direction, exercising the gravity she held as a powerful preternatural being.
"Regardless of light or dark- which will be expanded on- the species of a being doesn't decide how they themselves are. Such judgement is toxic in preternatural communities."
Eyebrows raised, Barry blew a low whistle, "Daaaaaamm."
Rolling her eyes, Raven reverted the topic, "As you were saying, Robin.", she gestured for Damian to continue.
Nodding his head, he resumed the explanation, "The animalistic are much like animals (as the name implies) however they hold more strength and power: for example, Hellhounds and hydras.", at the mention of hydras, Donna visibly shuddered.
"And the spectral", Raven picked up, looking to Damian first to confirm that he was okay with her taking the wheel, "are beings such as wraiths. They are normally some form of the risen spirits of the dead."
The nonchalant attitude in which she said it was unfathomable to many. Raven was taking about raising the dead like it was as normal as drinking tea. This was their first time hearing of such creatures, it was incomprehensible how all of that could be true. Of course, they were well aware that Damian and Raven wouldn't make up such things, yet it was too hard to believe that what they had dismissed as the characters of implausible stories actually existed.
"I don't get it!", Jaime said, "How does that work?"
Sighing, Raven said, "I'm no necromantic witch, so I barely know the basics of necromancy- which is fairly irrelevant in this situation. Spectral beings are rare, only rising when summoned through complex magical processes involving far more power than any average magic practitioner has: using mediums, runes etc."
"Right.", Clarke said pointlessly, trying to take in as much as he could- one never knew when such information would be valuable. "So what about the... humanoid? Was it?"
Dragging a hand across his face, Damian met Raven's pleading eyes, recognising that this discussion would drag on for a while.
A.N
Hello my darlings!
Yes I know, that chapter has been cut off- it will continue, don't worry!
Besides that, I have two pieces of FABULOUS news!!!
1) TWENTY ONE PILOTS IS OFF HIATUS!!!!! Eeeeeeeeeek! Jumpsuit and Nico and the Niners have given me life!
Yeeeeee!
2) On Wednesday 11th July I had the national debating competition at Oxford university and...WE WON!!!! I still can't believe we won the NATIONAL COMPETITION!
It's a huge achievement that I'm truly proud of!
Not only that, but I was named the best speaker of the ENTIRE competition!
I just really wanted to share the good news with you guys 😁
Anyway, thank you for 7k+ views and all your love and support!😘
-Bats :3