#shadowhat

Fragmented Reflection

Raven was finishing up in the bathroom of the Black Hat manor. She was touching up her eyeliner, making sure it was perfect. She's a perfectionist if you haven't already figured that out.

Once she had finished up, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her reflection wasn't her, it was Noir. "Traitor and a monster..." the reflection had whispered out.

Raven let out a small growl under her breath. "Shut up."

The voice began to overlap and echo around. "Betrayer. Monster. Pathetic. You abandoned your teammates but also your friends. Most importantly, me."

Raven's voice began to tremble. "I didn't abandon anyone! They... they abandoned me! Why can't you just understand that?! You saw what happened!"

A cold smile crept up that was shown upon the glass mirror. "Oh, spare me the dramatics. You're just making excuses now. Look at what you’ve become, Eclipse. You're his puppet. When will you learn that he doesn't actually love you."

Raven slammed her fist into the mirror and shattered it, yelling. "ENOUGH!!"

The voice began to fade away with words that echoed about. "Puppet. Traitor. Monster. Forgotten."

Raven fell to her knees, whispering to herself. "I don't know who I am anymore..." Glass was scattered about on the bathroom floor around her. Her reflection was gone, but the voice continued to linger in her mind. It was like a cheering chant, but this was much worse. The voices began to grow louder and louder, making her cover her ears to help prevent hearing it.

"I'm not her," she whispered to herself. "I will never be her again. I'm not Noir. I'm not-"

A shadowy-like presence began to spread across the floor behind her. It was none other than Lord Black Hat himself. "My dear, breaking mirrors now? How dramatic of you." His voice was low, yet slightly mocking.

Raven froze up on the spot. The glass was currently dripping red from her knuckles. She didn't bother to turn around to look at him. "You don't understand." Her voice dripped coldly, yet trying to steady it.

Black Hat raised an eyebrow at the sight of this. He seemed slightly invested. "Oh? But I do. More than anyone else could know." His cane was tapping against the shards, the sound sounded like a judge using his gavel. "Your little friend of yours keeps coming back to haunt you. A hero believing in justice, hope, and loyalty. Ha! Pathetic!"

Raven flinched.

Black Hat slowly bent down towards Raven's level. His clawed hand reaching out, tilting her chin upward until her red eyes met with his.

"Noir was weak. A weakling at its finest. That's why they tossed her away in the trash." His smile stretched, cruel and sharp it was. "And yet... you still question or rather mourn her."

Raven's voice had cracked when she spoke up. There was some rage that had been pent-up. "Then why can't I make her disappear? Why won't she leave me alone?"

Black Hat leaned closer to her, his breath cold against her ear. "Because you are a traitor, my dear, Blackbird. You betrayed them first, then you betrayed yourself. And that is exactly why you belong to me."

Her hands started to tremble. She needed him. She wanted to scream from how badly this was aching her heart and soul.

His claw trailed down her cheek, being as careful as possible. He whispered, almost tender, almost mocking:

"Don't waste your breath mourning a pitiful dead girl. Noir doesn't exist. She shouldn't mean anything to you. Besides, each time you bleed for her..." His voice lingered while his eyes gazed as he plucked a bloody shard from her palm. "... you bury what little remains of who you once were."

He straightened up, towering over her.

"You are mine, Raven. You belong to me."