The Armband
A Teen Titans One-Shot
The wind was blowing 89 Miles Per Hour, as heavy yet sporadic rains poured on the forestry landscape. 212 Warriors made way back to a crowded Base, having to walk against the wind, slick mud filling the 2 mile long stretch of open ground between them and the base entrance. Among these battered and war-hardened men, was an unlikely sight. A girl, less than 14 years of age, her front covered in thick mud, the only exception being her bright emerald eyes.
It was young Koriand'r, not even old enough to obtain the Title of a Princess, yet fighting in the War against the rabid and cruel Citadel Army. Her small size made her a handful for taller warriors of the opposing side, in the metaphorical sense. Her super-strength, a skill passed on by the Okari Elders, was why she was feared by the Citadel. But not today, she wasn't. She was just her brother's helper, and started being in the army days before. She only punched one foe, due to them creeping up behind her brother as he was aiding a wounded Warrior. And even for that, she was scolded by him. Even though she had just saved his life, he was more worried that her arm could of been chopped off by the foe's 2 ton axe head.
The base she and the other warriors were now returning to, had nothing much to be desired, except for brief shelter in a tent and a prolonged rest. It had the same muddy texture, indoors, and outdoors. The exception being the rock-plated ground to support the multi-story tent that treated the wounded.
Koriand'r returned inside the base, and inside the Health Center, tears were pouring down her cheeks, as she tried to not SOUND like she was crying in front of all those people, though she obviously was. She was holding her forearm in pain, panting as she rushed quickly towards a cornered off portion of the tent, for the bathroom. Her brother then walked into the building, deep-voiced robust Ryand'r. He was just a year younger than her, but, seemed like he was several years older. Males always grew faster, taller, bulkier. Girls were usually short, flimsy, and very emotional. Tamaranean's lives basis around their emotions. Laws of the Grand Justice System of the Vega Star System, 8 of the 9 planets, were based on emotions. Feelings are what drove their push to succeed, or to fail. For Tamaran, in this War with the Citadel, failure was not an option. No matter what the cost.
Ryand'r walked into the room were his sister was throwing up in the 'toilet', if you could even call it one. And squatted down to about her level. He threw a quick weak jab to her upper back, to get her attention. She turned to him, blood seeping out of her arm and dripping on the floor. The young Ryand'r had a stern look on his face, and scolded her, "Why did you not report to me about this..?" She just stood there, slightly upset then turned back around, to spit in the already sickening toilet. Ryand'r grabbed her by her arm, as she Owwed in pain, as he said, now in a more Fatherly tone, "Koriand'r, you are supposed to tell me about any injured part of your body so I can amend it. I am not a medical supervisor who likes to see his little sister bleeding. Now, let me take a look." She calmed down, and held out her right arm. Ryand'r got out some kind of silver tape quickly, and taped it around her upper arm, which automatically stopped the bleeding, and healed the wound. Ryand'r then said, "Koriand'r, if you ever get injured like that again, report to me, ok?" She slowly nodded. He continued, "Now, I shall be-" but a huge explosion that rocked the entire structure cut him off. He quickly grabbed his sister by her good arm, and led her out of the stall.
A tall bulky warrior covered half in mud, his expression showing terror, pointed outside and yelled, "The Gordanians are attacking!"
Gasps sounded about the room, and another tall and stock man replied loudly, "That cannot be! They're our allies in this War!"
Another skinny but superiorly tall Warrior walked in calmly, and stated, "Well come outside and take a look for yourself. Last time I was briefed, I learned that the Gordanians do not fly Warships into the lower atmosphere of Ultaria-9, but look here nevertheless."
The few warriors that could actually stand in the structure, walked out to look up into the sky, including young Ryand'r and Koriand'r.
It was a huge Gordanian warship, with the markings, emblems, and appearance to prove it.
Another warrior pointed into the sky, and yelled, "Something is wrong! Those colors belong to the Citadel!"
The superiorly tall Warrior that had spoken before said, "It is no more than a trick, to make us think we're fighting our greatest Allies."
Koriand'r suddenly heard movement in the bushes, but only turned her head and tried to hear where it came from.
Another deeply voiced hugely stocky man stood with a spear in hand, and yelled, "But there's no possibility that this ship is the Citadel's, look at the ship's design! Unless the Gordanians are designing ships for the Citadel now!"
As Koriand'r turned around, she heard more movement in the bushes, and louder this time too, causing her to gasp.
Ryand'r came to her side about to ask what was wrong, but noticed her eyes fixed on the bushes. That caused him to look for himself, as he spotted the bushes moving.
"Men... I think we are being paranoid. The Gordanians may have just changed their ship colors to those similar of the Citadel," another of the men said.
Ryand'r, coming to a realization about what was going on, ran over and whispered to one of his close coworkers, so to speak.
"Do you have any combat experience?" Ryand'r asked him quietly, as the other boy shook his head. "Medical, not combat. Why?" the boy replied in the same form of whispering. "Can you fly a spacecraft?" Ryand'r continued, as the boy nodded. "To transport wounded."
"Sister, come," Ryand'r whispered to Koriand'r, grabbing her good arm and guiding her back inside. There, was the boy that Ryand'r had talked to.
"My sister has her arm wounded. Can you fly her back to Tamaran?" Ryand'r asked the boy, as the boy looked puzzled. "Sir, there are people with worse injuries that are standing out there right now," he replied, as Ryand'r shook his head.
"On behalf of the royal family of Tamaran, I guarantee this, if you do this you will be rewarded," Ryand'r pleaded with the boy, as the boy looked very interested in what the word 'rewarded' meant.
He nodded his head, and replied, "Yes, I will do it for you. The medical transport craft is about 2 building-lengths away from this one, in a muddy field. I will take her there and she will be back on Tamaran within the hour."
As Koriand'r went with the boy, Ryand'r spoke up.
"Also, put in my report that I was caught in an ambush at the time 1600 Knorta." Ryand'r told him, and he nodded.
As both Koriand'r and the boy dashed across the muddy field and got in the space craft, the boy got in the pilot seat and she got in the back of the craft, not sitting in the co-pilot seat, but rather standing and holding on to a metal bar on the side of the craft.
The pilot turned on the engines and began to have the spacecraft ascend. The craft had a large red cross with a white background, signaling it being a medical craft. The symbol was there because to the majority of enemies, shooting down a medical craft is seen as dishonorable and a waste of ammo. But only to the majority of them, that is.
As the craft hovered up in the atmosphere and took off up into space, back towards the planet Tamaran, the pilot let the craft glide, flipped open his medical log, and decided to go ahead and put the 'Ambush' on the medical record of Ryand'r. Ryand'r said it was at 1600 Knorta... Knorta being a unit of time.
"Ok, so your brother said he was ambushed at 1600 Knorta... and he reported it to me at-" the boy began, but his eyes widened after checking the time.
"At... 1597 Knorta..."
Suddenly, he got a radio call from a woman presumably overlooking the activities of medical craft.
"Afka-Beton," she began, Afka-Beton being the codename for the craft they were in, "You just left the scene of a massive ambush by a Gordanian warship. Did you get as many wounded as you could from the scene?"
He picked up the radio and replied, obviously startled, "I was unaware of any ambush there, my lady."
"Well, you are to report back to the site at once and take care of any wounded," she told him, as he hesitated before replying.
"Actually, I have 1 wounded on board I must transport to Tamaran right now," he began, and the lady on the end could be heard very quietly sighing in the background.
"Alright, Afka-Beton, who is the wounded?" she asked.
"... Princess Koriand'r." he answered.
"Sent by?" the lady questioned, her tone showing more interest in the topic once she found who the wounded was.
"Her brother, Ryand'r." the pilot replied again.
"Ok... you might as well bring her back to Tamaran ASAP. We wouldn't want the Royal Family mad at you, Afka-Beton. But once you drop her off, get back to the site of the ambush as soon as possible. We hear there are heavy casualties there. Oh- Hold on. It seems Ryand'r is among the wounded... Oh Slorbnark..." the woman continued, as Koriand'r looked at the band wrapped around her right upper arm, realizing that Ryand'r just saved her from being at the site of that ambush.
"Forget it, Afka-Beton. The aid station there just got flattened by Gordanian artillery, and we've been given permission to bring in full-size medical ships after our own warship, Baak-Zorgai 087, is done cleaning the skies. This is certainly an act of betrayal by the Gordanians... Hopefully they soon learn who they messed with... You have your orders, Afka-Beton. Baak-Zorgai out." she finished, as in the background, the crew could be heard shouting as they all got to their battle stations. Apparently this lady the pilot was speaking to was on the warship that was going to go and attack the Gordanian warship that ambushed the aid station.
Koriand'r soon decided that due to her brother Ryand'r having such bravery and courage to put himself in danger just to save his little sister... she would keep the armband that he wrapped around her arm on as long as it lasted.
That one armband on her right upper arm would stay there, even as she lived on Tamaran and grew older, having it loosened year after year. Even as she went to Earth and became a Teen Titan. Even after she kissed a human boy, Robin, and held his hand in Tokyo. That same armband would be there on her right arm.
Always.
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Author's Notes:
The idea of having an entire one-shot revolving around such a small part of the show (The armband Starfire wears on her arm) had been in the back of my mind for quite a while. Then this idea came about when I wondered : "What is that shiny silver armband doing on her right arm?"... I mean, she doesn't have one on her left arm. It doesn't serve the same skin-covering purpose such as her skirt or her shirt. So, then came the idea, "Maybe it's a commemoration or something, kind of like if your grandmother gives you a necklace, and you keep wearing it just to remember her."
Then came this one-shot. :D
I hope you enjoyed it! Until next time!
-FanaticWriter