Disclaimer: I do not own DC comics or any of the characters featured in this story, and I am DEFINITELY am not getting any money from it. This is purely for fun. Just to reiterate, I do not own anything. AT ALL!

1: The Gathering

Starefire blinked in confusion at the empty chairs in front of her. A moment ago she'd just been playing cards with her friends. Robin was less than happy at Cyborg's victory. As usual he let his pride get the better of him, and was demanding a rematch, then . . . they were just gone. A brief flash of light and Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy had disappeared completely. She looked to Raven, the two of them seemed to be unaffected.

"This is . . . part of the game?" There was still so much she didn't understand about earth, she was discovering new things every day, but this couldn't be natural. Raven shrugged her shoulders and answered dumbfounded,

"Uhhhh . . . ."

Starfire didn't have a chance to rationalize it because just then her entire world was bleached in white. As she opened her eyes her surroundings had completely changed. She was now in a large hall. Raven stood beside her, and a little ways off was Terra. That's good. At least she wasn't alone. They were in the middle of a large crowd, some of the faces were familiar, some were new, but Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy were nowhere insight.

In front of them on a large pedestal stood a tall man covered in white fur, with a red octagonal gemstone hanging from his neck and gold bands around his arms. He raised his hands and declared in a loud voice: "Welcome champions all! I am the master of games, and you are herby invited to compete, in the tournament of heroines!"

Tournament? Is that what all this was about? But it still doesn't explain what happened to Robin. "Raven?" Starfire whimpered.

"Yeah?"

"I have a bad feeling about this. . ."

Terra was grinning from ear to ear. "What are you talking about? This is gonna be awesome!"

The master of games continued. "A friendly competition between the worlds greatest young champions. Sixteen brave and noble warriors, but only one will win, and prove that she is the greatest young heroine of her time. Of course any who do not wish to compete, need only say the word, and I will return you to your homes at once." A silent murmur went through the crowd. Starefire didn't mind fighting in a tournament, in fact contests of strength were quite common on Tammaran, but first she had to know that Robin was safe.

"Master of games, a question. Moments before we arrived here three of my friends disappeared in the same manner, I demand to know of their well being!" Starfire spoke up.

"Yes, of course. Rest assured your comrades are safe. This tournament is two-fold. While you are here, your friends compete elsewhere. Once both tournaments are over, the winners shall participate in the final round to decide who is truly the strongest." Starfire began to calm down. It seems her worries were baseless, they were safe. She started to feel silly for getting so worked up about it.

"What's the matter little sister, looking for an excuse to forfeit already?" Starefire's jaw dropped. Standing across from her was none other than her older sister Blackfire.

"What are you doing here?!" Starfire gasped.

"Same as you I suppose, looks like I'm fighting in the tournament." she smirked.

"No, what are you doing out of prison?!" She cried.

"What can I say? One minute I'm on my way to a high security Centari prison, the next I'm here. C'mon Star don't tell me your afraid of a little competition."

"I was told this was a tournament of heroines." Starfire waited for an answer, but her sister just raised an eyebrow, as if to say 'what's your point?'

"You are a theif! When we last meet you were going to have me take your place in jail!"

"Oh don't tell me your still hung up on that! Can't we just let bygones be already? Anyway it's been fun Star, great chat. I think I'll mingle a bit before the fighting starts, chaio!" Then she stalked off into the crowd. Starfire let out a long breath, it looks like she couldn't fully drop her guard yet. If her sister was here, who knows what else was in store. She turned to Raven, but her friend was already scanning the crowd.

"That girl . . . I recognize her." Starefire followed her gaze, she was looking at slender girl in a black cape and mask. She wasn't sure how Raven knew her, but the girl was a stranger to her. She looked at Raven and she explained. "I saw her when I entered Robin's mind. The two of them used to work together."

Robin did? She had no idea. He never talks about his life before the titans. He was so secretive. He was already a capable crime fighter before he even came to Jump city, (that's how they met after all) but other than that, she knew almost nothing about his past.

Raven was already walking over to her, Starfire and Terra followed. The girl turned towards them as they approached. She wore dark muted colors, what had looked like a mask was more of a cowl, and on her chest was a symbol; and abstract picture of a bat. Raven held out her hand to her, "Hi, it's Batgirl, right?" She stepped back cautiously.

"I. . . don't believe I've had the pleasure." Batgirl stammered.

Raven held up her arms in peace. "Ah, don't worry were on your side. I'm Raven, this is Starfire, and Terra, we're friends of Robin." She had been very tense up to that point, but when they mentioned Robin, her shoulders dropped slightly. So she does know him, Starfire thought.

"Come to think of it, he did say he'd formed a new team. You guys must be the Teen Titans." She said, and shook Raven's hand.

Starfire bit her lip. "Strange, he has not mentioned you . . . at all. Perhaps it has slipped from his mind?"

"Unlikely. Robin cut all ties with his old life a long time ago."

Clearly, he has not cut them all, Starfire thought as she gave her a very forceful handshake. How could she she say that when she was obviously still in contact with him?

"So any idea's where we are?" Batgirl asked.

Raven closed her eyes, and concentrated. "It's denfinatly a different dimensional plane, but not one that I recognize. Outside of that I'm lost."

Batgirl took out a small electronic device. "I can't get a signal out, no GPS, no radar nothing. But the atomic clock says it' been less than a second since we got here."

Starefire scoffed. "Then your instruments are wrong, this cannot be true."

She hit some buttons on her device. "Very unlikely. The atomic clock is the most accurate one there is, time must pass more slowly here." Starefire scoffed and turned up her nose.

Terra uneasily stepped between them. "Uh, not really sure what's join on here, but could you guys at least wait till you're in the ring to start fighting?"

Starefire looked away embarrassed, but Batgirl seemed genuinely confused. She cleared her throat to break the silence. "A-Anyway, it doesn't look like where in any immediate danger, but the fact remains we're in an alternate dimension, completely cut off from the outside world, we should still be cautious. For now let's just enter the tournament."

Terra cracked her knuckles. "As long as we're entering, we might as well win this thing!"

"Starfire ,Raven!" A new voice joined them and they turned to see a short, pink haired girl running to greet them.

Raven blinked in surprise. "Kole? Is that you?" Raven asked. She nodded happily.

"Yep, looks like I got invited to this thing too."

Starefire swept her up into a bear hug. "Kole! It is so good to see a friendly face!" She meant it. After talking to Batgirl, she began to feel a little lonely. Under the current circumstances, she was going to need as much support as possible."But Kole if you are going to compete how will you fight without Gnark?"

Kole giggled. "Heh, don't count me out just yet. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve too you know. Who knows, we might even get to fight each other." Raven looked toward the pedestal, but the master of games had gone off somewhere. "Well he sure is taking his time to start this thing. I think I'll get to know our competition n the meantime." She said and wadded into the crowd.

Terra looked at Kole. "So you're the crystal girl right? The one who lives in a prehistoric forest?"

Kole smirked and said. "Yep, you're the rock girl who lives in a cave right?"

Terra opened her mouth, and closed it again. "Touche. You know, I think we'll get along just fine." As Kole and Terra talked, Starefire essentially found herself alone with Batgirl. She tried not to think about it but this girl probably knew much more about Robin than she did, and somehow that scarred her.

"Um, Batgirl, was it? You were close to Robin yes? Please I wish to know, were you. . . perhaps . . ."

A moment passed and she understood. "Hmph, don't worry, it's nothing like what you're imagining. Well, for the most part anyway." Starfire's pupils expanded and her eyes nearly burst from her head.

Batgirl quickly tried to backpedal. "We were partners, that's all that mattered. We worked together and eventually . . . he left us." She stared at the floor. That was an expression Starfire knew all too well; her eyes were heavy with sadness, with regret. "And I didn't follow. That's all there is too it." She turned her back, clearly more questions would not be welcome.