Batman's Confrontation, and the Titans Arrive in Gotham
Gotham. 3 A.M.
Damian landed silently in the Batcave after his talk with Raven.
Toothless padded beside him, scales shimmering in the dim blue lights.
Damian walked straight toward the staircase—
only for the overhead lights to snap on.
Batman stood waiting.
Still in his armor.
Still unblinking.
Still Batman.
Bruce:
"Raven was here."
Not a question.
Damian stopped, jaw tightening.
Damian:
"She came on her own. I didn't call her."
Bruce folded his arms.
Bruce:
"You were unconscious for a month.
When a half-demon teleports to Gotham in the dead of night and goes straight to you—
I have questions."
Damian exhaled sharply.
This was inevitable.
Damian:
"She said demons in Hell are… talking about me."
Bruce's expression didn't shift, but his heart rate spiked.
Damian could hear it.
Bruce:
"Because of Doomsday."
Damian:
"Because of the flames."
Bruce's jaw clenched.
Bruce:
"She sensed another power near you."
Damian froze.
Raven had sensed the Gura Gura no Mi sitting in his pocket dimension.
He kept his voice steady.
Damian:
"I told you before—I found artifacts.
Alien. Magical. Some mixed.
I didn't lie."
Bruce stepped forward until they were only a foot apart.
Bruce:
"Damian.
If there is a threat targeting you—targeting us—
I need to know everything."
Damian's eyes narrowed.
Not angry.
Not defensive.
Controlled.
Damian:
"I told you the truth.
Just not all of it.
Yet."
Batman searched his son's eyes.
There was fear.
Not of enemies.
Fear for Bruce.
Damian hadn't shown that since he was nine.
Bruce's voice softened.
Bruce:
"You don't have to protect me, Damian."
Damian looked away.
Damian:
"I'm not protecting you.
I'm protecting the world."
Batman said nothing.
But in his silence… was trust.
A rare thing.
Titans Tower → Gotham
Earlier that night, Raven vanished mid-meditation.
The Titans noticed immediately.
By morning—
Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Blue Beetle, and Donna Troy
were flying toward Gotham in the T-Ship.
Beast Boy:
"Why Gotham?? Why does she always go there??"
Cyborg:
"Bro… where do you think she went?
The demon boyfriend."
Beast Boy:
"THEY'RE NOT DATING!"
Starfire blinked innocently.
Starfire:
"But she does speak often of Damian.
Usually with 'concern' or 'annoyance' or—how do you say—'secret warm feelings'?"
Beast Boy coughed.
Hard.
Beast Boy:
"She WHAT?!"
Back in Gotham — Batcave Alarms
A shrill alert went off.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Bruce turned sharply to the large monitor.
Bruce:
"…unknown aircraft entering Gotham airspace."
Damian groaned.
Damian:
"T-Ship."
Bruce blinked twice.
Bruce:
"…You knew they'd come?"
Damian:
"Raven disappeared in front of them.
Of course they would."
A bright flash lit the cave entrance as the T-Ship descended.
Dust shook from the stalactites.
Cyborg:
"Yo Bats! We're here for Raven—HEY DAMIAN!"
Starfire:
"FRIEND DAMIAN! Is Raven safe??"
Beast Boy:
"Dude. You look… taller. Also stronger. Also angrier."
Donna Troy:
"You feel different. Your aura is… sharper."
Blue Beetle's armor chimed nervously.
Khaji Da:
⚠ Power level: High. Unknown. Dangerous. ⚠
Jaime slapped the scarab.
Jaime:
"Helpful. Very helpful."
Bruce sighed the sigh of a man who has raised too many children.
Bruce:
"Raven left. She spoke with Damian.
She isn't in danger."
Starfire (squinting):
"But she felt… confused. And emotional.
She does not do that unless something significant occurs."
Every Titan turned to Damian.
Damian rolled his eyes.
Damian:
"She told me that demons in Hell are watching me after the Doomsday fight."
The entire team froze.
Cyborg blinked twice.
Cyborg:
"…Bro.
What did you DO?"
Damian shrugged.
Damian:
"Burned a monster so hard the underworld noticed."
Beast Boy dropped to the floor.
Beast Boy:
"OH COOL WE'RE ALL GONNA BE ATTACKED BY DEMONS AGAIN."
Donna crossed her arms.
Donna:
"This is serious. If Hell is watching… others will too."
Starfire placed a gentle hand on Damian's shoulder.
Starfire:
"You are not alone. We will help."
Damian stiffened.
Then softened—barely.
Damian:
"Thank you.
But right now?
I need to rest."
Cyborg grinned.
Cyborg:
"Fair enough, little man. You earned it."
Beast Boy saluted dramatically.
Beast Boy:
"Try not to explode the planet while you nap!"
Toothless stepped forward and nudged Damian's chest protectively.
The Titans froze.
Starfire gasped.
Beast Boy fainted.
Cyborg screamed.
Donna Troy:
"…is that a dragon?"
Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose.
Bruce:
"Yes.
It's been a long month."
Raven Returns, and the System's New Mission
Gotham Rooftops, Midnight
Damian stood alone on a dark rooftop, the moonlight reflecting off his cape.
He needed air.
After the Titans' chaotic arrival, after Batman's interrogation, after the weight of Hell's attention…
he needed silence.
Toothless perched behind him, humming softly.
A gentle whum of displaced air rippled.
A purple soul-self opened.
And Raven stepped out.
Her face was unreadable—more so than usual.
Damian didn't turn.
Damian:
"You left earlier than expected."
Raven:
"…I had to confirm something."
Now he turned.
Her eyes glowed faintly violet.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Worry.
Raven:
"Things in Hell are moving. Fast."
Damian crossed his arms.
Damian:
"Because of Doomsday."
She shook her head.
Raven:
"Not only Doomsday.
Something else.
Someone else."
Her voice trembled just enough for Damian to notice.
Raven:
"Damian… Hell isn't talking about your flames anymore."
She stepped closer, lowering her voice.
Raven:
"They're talking about the other power near you."
Damian stiffened instantly.
She sensed it.
She sensed the Gura Gura no Mi sitting inside his pocket dimension.
Damian:
"You don't need to worry about that fruit."
Raven glared.
Raven:
"It's not the fruit.
It's the attention it's drawing."
She swallowed.
Raven:
"Three demon lords sent scouts.
One of them wants to claim you as a weapon.
Another wants to consume you.
The third wants to 'study' your existence and your flame."
Damian's eyes narrowed.
Damian:
"Let them try."
Raven shook her head sharply.
Raven:
"You don't understand.
Your flames harmed Doomsday.
Your presence bends fate lines.
Your dimensional space is invisible to cosmic senses.
And now—something deeper is waking around you."
Damian stopped breathing for one second.
Raven placed two fingers to her temple.
Raven:
"I can't read your mind anymore.
Not even a little.
Not even your surface thoughts."
Damian froze.
He hadn't activated his mental defenses.
And yet—
She was completely blocked.
Raven:
"It's like there's a shell around your mind.
Something… ancient.
Protective.
Like a god's hand closing around your thoughts."
Damian's heart thumped in his chest.
He knew what happened.
He knew why her powers failed.
Because—
The System Activated
A glowing screen appeared in front of his eyes.
Not visible to Raven.
[ SYSTEM UPDATE ]
Because Martian Manhunter attempted full telepathic intrusion, the System has adapted your mental defenses.
Devil Fruits obtained from the System now possess a passive anti-telepathic field.
Effects:
Mind reading becomes impossible.
Mind control becomes impossible.
Illusions and mental influence become unstable.
Telepaths receive nonsense thoughts (food cravings, random memories, etc.)
Effect strengthens when the fruit is near its chosen user.
Damian swallowed.
So that's why Raven couldn't read him.
The System wasn't finished.
[ NEW MISSION UNLOCKED ]
Mission: "Choose the Wielder of the Gura Gura no Mi."
Description:
The Gura Gura no Mi is one of the most destructive powers in the multiverse.
Leaving it unused is unacceptable.
You must choose a worthy wielder.
Rules:
You cannot eat it.
You must give it to someone you trust.
Their soul must be strong enough to withstand the fruit.
Once given, it cannot be taken back.
You must decide within 6 months.
Failure Consequence:
The fruit returns to the dimensional vault and becomes inert for 50 years.
Mission Reward (upon successful transfer):
BLEACH-STYLE HEALING SPRING
Instantly added to your pocket dimension
Rapid healing of physical wounds
Restores stamina
Can cleanse curse energy, demonic residue, or dark magic
Cannot revive the dead
Safe for humans, metahumans, Kryptonians, Atlanteans, Amazons, and dragons
Affinity Boost
Your chosen wielder will have a bond with you similar to a blood pact
You will sense each other across long distances
Your flames and their tremors will synergize
Damian inhaled sharply.
A healing hot spring.
That alone was insane.
But choosing a wielder?
That was harder.
Nightwing?
Red Hood?
Superman?
Raven?
Zatanna?
A Titan?
A future child?
He clenched his fists.
Back to Reality
Raven was staring at him closely.
Raven:
"Damian.
Something is changing around you.
And it's not done."
Damian exhaled.
Damian:
"I know."
Her eyes widened.
Raven:
"You do?"
He nodded.
Damian:
"And I will handle it.
But… thank you.
For coming back."
Raven's cheeks warmed.
Barely.
Just barely.
Raven:
"I didn't come for you."
Damian smirked.
Damian:
"Of course not."
She looked away quickly.
Raven:
"I came because if Hell comes for you…
it comes for all of us."
Damian's eyes softened.
Damian:
"Then we'll face it together."
Raven stepped into her soul-self.
Before disappearing, she whispered:
Raven:
"Be careful… Damian."
And she was gone.