ROGUE| DICK GRAYSON

xlii. best of friends

Rowan sat down on the edge of the cliff. She seemed to forget that you can adventure on the outside of the mountain that they also call a cave.

She drummed her fingers on the rocks and grass, looking out into the stars. Rowan couldn't believe that all this time, she's been staring at the same stars. On Olympus, all the girl wished was to watch the stars one last time and simply take it in.

The only time Rowan was able to see the stars were either on missions or when she had a battle to fight at night. The pit was a large, circular arena that had no roof. But, at that time, the girl really didn't have a moment to take in the balls of light.

"What're you doing?" Rowan immediately stood, pointing her concealed dagger at the imposter, "It's just me, Row." She slowly put the dagger back in its holster that rested on her thigh.

Superboy walked toward the girl and sat down, waiting for her to do the same. Once she did, he sighed, looking out at the trees.

"Why are you here?" 

Conner clenched his jaw, "In case you forgot, you were my best friend."

The girl balled her hand into a fist, trying to control her emotions, "I know you have questions, Conner. No need to hide your curiosity."

"What did they do to you?" Rowan blinked, surprised by the loaded question, "I mean, except for the fights and the enemies. I'm talking about if you ever got tortured."

Rowan thought for a few seconds, wondering how much she should tell, "I did." She paused, "There are gods for everything, even torture."

Conner nodded, "What happened when you first got there?"

"I got thrown in the pit," Rowan smiled slightly as she saw a constellation, "I said some things to Zeus that I shouldn't have. Then I sent me and, uhm, Valerie there."

"Valerie? That one girl that came with you?"

Rowan nodded, "Yes. We both were locked in cells, surrounded by others who'd been there for generations. You got to know them as everyone was going through the same thing, it built a close connection."

"Did you ever have to fight them?"

"All the time. We might be friends as we need the company, but we all understood that in the pit, it's you against everyone. Nobody held any death against you as they all understood the need for survival."

Conner paused as he thought about his next question, "Did you ever kill them?"

Rowan didn't know if Conner wanted the truth. She thinks that the boy still wants to believe that Rogue never changed into Abaddon. It was a childish, naive thing to want to believe in something that was clearly wrong.

"I did."

The boy breathed out a breath he didn't know he was holding. It was like all the oxygen in the world just vanished as they let her words hang in the air.

"Thank you." Rowan's eyes scanned up and down the slouched boy who looked exhausted. His eyes had purple bags under them and his hands were shaking. For the first time since the pit, Rowan was worried for her friend's safety. She placed her own hand on his, quietly stopping his unsettling hands. Rowan could feel his gaze on the side of her head, "Why?"

Rowan met eyes with her best friend, "Even if it was sixty years that we were apart, I don't think nobody could replace you as my best friend, Con."

He smiled brightly and chuckled quietly, "I think the pit has made you a sap."

The girl wished to say, 'Well, maybe it was because you never knew when it was your last or anybody else's, so you always spoke your mind on Olympus.' 

But, instead, Rowan just smiled and squeezed his hand with hers. 

That night, the girl snuck out of the cave. On Batman's orders, Rowan and Thor were not allowed to leave the cave without supervision. Well, Rogue was a grown woman who could protect herself.

The brunette walked down the sidewalk, with a hood over her head. She wore a brown hoodie with a black jacket on top and simple leggings to ensure she could still kick ass. Her dagger still sat on her thigh, ready for use.

Lights flickered from around her, but it was home. She strolled down the street, walking closer to the ocean. Once she saw the brown house, her confidence began to dwindle. But, she just had to remind herself that she beat demons four times his size.

But, her father was the first monster that entered her life and it feels as if he's always going to be.

Rowan reached the small steps that led to her door. She slowly got closer and she had her fist up, ready to knock, but a deep growl from behind her, froze her in her footsteps. 

Rowan turned around to spot an old opponent of hers, "Well, a surprise to see you here, Ferbus."

The centaur just scratched his hoof against the ground in anger. His black hair and beard were slightly intimidating, the same with his bold features, "You've torn me from my home, Abaddon."

The brunette stepped away from the house and toward the creature, "No. I was as much a victim as you were."

"No!" His staff pounded against the ground in frustration, "I do not know why or how—"

The girl clenched her jaw, "You're free! Why are you angry about that?"

"Olympus is all I've known. I deserve the pit and to stay there for the rest of my days."

"For what? What did you do?" Rowan believed it was to be much like her situation.

"I killed and tortured baby basilisks for fun."

The girl's jaw dropped in shock, "Excuse me?"

The man sadly nodded, "I also pushed a pregnant lady down a flight of stairs as she started to complain about back aches." Rowan froze, still in shock, "I also ate my son as he began to show that he was growing to be better than me."

"You gotta be fucking kidding me." Rowan dragged a hand down her face in exhaustion. She grabbed her dagger from the holster, holding it out in front of her, "Then, yes, you deserve to die."

The centaur nodded and his tail swooshed, "Finally, we agree."

"Tell me at least one thing."

"What is it?"

Rowan pursed her lips, "How'd you find me?"

"You have a scent to you like no other. Every mythical being that has been written by the celestials has a very specific scent."

The girl's eyebrows furrowed, "What do I smell like?"

He rubbed his beard, "Peaches and vanilla."

Rowan shrugged, "I'll take it." She pointed her dagger back at the centaur, "Have fun in Tartarus forever, Ferbus."