Raven's Decadent Delights, Saturday evening

[trigons_child]

The nuns of Azarath had raised Raven to be good, to not abuse her powers, to not use them on others without their permission except in emergencies. But Fandom had changed all that. There were so many people with so many desperate needs -- for love, for comfort, for joy. And she could provide that.

For a price, of course.

She'd become very wealthy selling the feelings she created. At first it was just for her customers themselves, an afternoon of euphoria or the ending of a sorrow. But then some started to ask her to use her powers on others. Make them afraid. Make them fall in love. It didn't matter as long as she was paid.

She opened up the shop, lounging on her velvet chaise, popping grapes in her mouth as she waited to see what customers the night would bring.



[Anyone in need of an empathic whammy, come on in. ;) ]

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[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Something strange seemed to be going on today, and Rapunzel wasn't happy about it. In fact, it was all making her a little uncomfortable. She was torn between wanting to run away and wanting to get to the bottom of it.

For now her natural curiosity was winning out, so she was looking around to see if she could see anything that had changed recently. Maybe it would be obvious?

She poked her head into a shop she hadn't visited before and looked around hesitantly. Ready to run if it turned out to be dangerous or something.

"Hello?"

[trigons_child]

Ahh, a customer. One she didn't recognize. Those were always the most fun. Sometimes she'd give them a little taste of what she could offer with her powers for free, just to get them hooked. They'd always be back for more.

"Welcome," she said with a lazy smile. "Can I help you?"

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Oh! Someone was there!

"Oh! Um... I'm not sure?" Rapunzel sounded hesitant. And looked it, too.

[trigons_child]

She pushed herself up to a sitting position and patted the chaise beside her. "Come sit with me then, and we will figure out exactly what you need," she said.

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Really? Rapunzel smiled a bit at that. Someone who was friendly and wanted to help! It reminded her of her first day on the island.

"Thank you," she said as she did as instructed: walking across the room (careful not to let her hair catch on anything) to sit down.

[trigons_child]

"What lovely hair you have, my dear," Raven said, lifting a hand to touch it. "That must be bothersome to care for. Now, what brings you to my shop this evening?"

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"Oh, thank you." Rapunzel smiled and nodded. "It is a lot of work, but I'm used to it."

"And, I don't know. I guess I was just trying to figure out what's going on today. Things seem off somehow."

[trigons_child]

"Fandom can be very confusing at times, I know," Raven said sympathetically. "Especially if one is new to the island. Are you new?"

She started to project a subtle feeling of calm. She wanted Rapunzel to feel comfortable, after all.

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel found this girl very reassuring, and just being near her was helping some of the tension drain from Rapunzel's shoulders. "Yes," she nodded. "I've been here for two weeks now."

[trigons_child]

"Is there anything you have been lacking?" Raven said, beginning to probe for what Rapunzel might want. "Are you lonely? Unhappy? I can help you with that."

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"Well," Rapunzel said slowly, finding it surprisingly easy to talk to Raven. "I am a bit lonely sometimes." She missed mother.

"But you don't have to do anything."

[trigons_child]

"Oh, but that is my gift," Raven said with a light laugh. "I can take the bad feelings away and replace them with only good. That is what I do here. I make people feel good."

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"Oh! That's very nice of you!" Rapunzel beamed up at Raven. "I'm glad I came in here." It was like a little oasis of calm in the face of all the strangeness outside.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Father Maximus was wandering the town again today because he had souls to save. They were in peril! And they needed him to look out for them.

This shop, in particular, seemed to cry out for his attention. He adjusted his collar slightly and knocked politely at the door.

[trigons_child]

"Come in," Raven called. Her empathic senses told her exactly who was outside the door. Oh, this would be fun.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

So he did. "Good evening, my child," Max offered in greeting. "I hope this day finds you well."

[trigons_child]

"Father Max, how good to see you," Raven said. "Come to try to save my soul again?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Of course, my child," Max nodded gravely. "You know that Our Heavenly Father abandons none of His children."

[trigons_child]

Raven waved a dismissive hand and reached for another grape. "So they taught me in the nunnery," she sighed. "But I learned the truth of the world soon enough after I left."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max shook his head sadly. "You know, deep down, that your so-called 'truth' is a lie. And that it doesn't bring you happiness or contentment." Come back to the light, Raven!

[trigons_child]

"But it brings me so much happiness to bring joy to others," Raven said. "I can make anyone feel love or pleasure or bliss with just a snap of my fingers." No, she didn't really need to snap her fingers, but it was good for dramatic effect so the audience would know she was using her powers.

She crooked a finger at him. "I can show you exactly what I mean."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max straightened, frowning slightly. "You abuse your gifts," he said in disapproval. "What happened to that delightful, innocent little girl I knew all those years ago?"

[trigons_child]

"She grew up," Raven said. "She learned what the world was really like outside those convent walls. Full of hunger and needs just waiting to be filled. And if I can be the one to fill them, so be it. I serve god by making his people happy."

Well, except for the ones she was paid to hit with negative emotions. But she made her customers happy, and that was what mattered.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"You feed their lusts!" Max accused. "You cloud their judgment!"

[trigons_child]

"I free them from despair and pain," Raven said. She sat up, silk robe shifting to reveal a slender pale leg. "Surely you can see that is an act of goodness."