Fifth Floor Common Room, Friday Morning

[trigons_child]

Raven had had a much more restful sleep that night, thanks in no small part to the strength Professor Anakin had added to her shields. And he hadn't thrown her out of the school for using her powers on Chuck, so that lightened her mood as well. (And she hadn't listened to the radio and heard herself referred to as having a weird kink about doors.) She decided to test her shielding by venturing into the common room. Someone had left the TV on, and she found herself mesmerized by what was on, a strange show featuring a scruffy madman who had somehow schemed to turn the woman he loved into a mummy. He was currently fondling her bandage-wrapped form while her sister debated how to rescue her.

[ooc: No, really, I checked TV Guide, that's what's on right now.]

Comments

[intraspective]

"Hmmm," she said, contemplating that.

A beat.

"Suppose the big thing is--would people want to?" Ino grinned.

[trigons_child]

"Azarath would welcome those who seek peace and solitude," Raven said. "But if someone were emotional or craved adventure...Azarath would not give them what they sought."

[intraspective]

Ino made a face at that. "Probably not the world for me," she admitted freely. "I emote quite a bit."

[trigons_child]

"Definitely not," Raven said. "Those of Azarath suppress all emotion."

[intraspective]

"Suppress doesn't mean 'don't have' though," Ino said shrewdly. "That must be icky."

[trigons_child]

"The people of Azarath expelled their dark passions long ago," Raven said. "And what was left faded over time. They are quite content with their lives there. I have struggled with it, however...."

[intraspective]

Doesn't that, Ino thought, wouldn't that make them, like, the most boring people ever?

"Why do you have issues?" she wondered. "I mean, you're from there, right? So wouldn't you have been, maybe, born with your emotions all... faded?"

Okay. That was creepy.

[trigons_child]

If Raven could read Ino's thoughts, she would've agreed.

"It is somewhat complicated," she said slowly. "I was born there, but my parents were not from Azarath. My mother was from Earth."

[intraspective]

"Ooooh," she said, "so you don't have all the generations of suppression to help you with not feeling."

[trigons_child]

"Yes," Raven said, nodding slightly. "I sometimes wish that I did."

[intraspective]

"But emotions are important!" Ino insisted. "Don't wish them away!"

[trigons_child]

"I am not allowed to truly feel emotions," Raven said. "I must keep mine controlled and quiet."

[intraspective]

Ino frowned slightly. "Isn't that, like, hard?"

[trigons_child]

"Extremely," Raven said, her voice quiet. "On Azarath it was easier, but here, it is so easy to see the joy and affection that people feel. I would be envious if I let myself." Well, no, she was envious, she just wouldn't let herself admit it.

[intraspective]

"Not all emotion is good either," Ino had to point out. "But even the bad things need to be felt. Builds character, even if some control is good."

Pot. Kettle. Whatever--Ino knew exactly what she was doing even when she lost her temper.

[trigons_child]

"I can learn from experience," Raven said. "But I cannot let myself truly feel. It is not allowed. I would prefer it otherwise, but...."