Inverted
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans or any of the characters there within.
She was being chased—driven down the path, explosions alighting thunderously behind her every step. They were coming to kill her. She had never been able to escape them, and she was so tired; so very tired of this running. There seemed no possible way to stop it. She was powerless, always powerless.
A swath of green light engulfed her; pain exploded across her back. Her body fell into shock as she collided with the ground. She was too pained to move. She gazed up piteously as the throng surrounded the clearing and bore down on her. Pressing, crushing the life from her—she was surely to die.
No!
Her eyes were alight with fire; she could see the path below, illuminated with it. With a scream of panic and desperation and hate, she attacked; attacked to destroy, attacked to kill. When the power had at last freed her with a shock that it had left her body; her eyes reopened as she stared coldly about the clearing. Bodies were scattered everywhere, they were all dead—she had destroyed them all.
And she did not care.
She glanced down the path once more before the fire had consumed her wholly, she had thought tricks were playing behind her eyes, but it was not so.
There was violet light, a beautiful foreboding violet light that flooded the scene. Casting purple on the horrific crimson that lapped lovingly at her feet.
Violet?
But where was the emerald green of her people? Their traditional color was not present in her power…What was wrong with her? Why did she have to be this way—so different?
Even as she thought it, there was a sharp movement at her feet. Startled out of her confusion, Blackfire lifted her radiant violet eyes to one Tamaranian who had not been killed. His face was scarred and obscured by his own blood. She could only make out vague details in the surrounding darkness. The Tamaranian man raised his hand, eyes a terrible blazing emerald green in retribution. The power was aimed directly for her face and she was too frozen to move. The blast left his hand with a shocking electric snap and the light collided with her face.
Blackfire awoke with a shattering scream. Panting into the darkness, she gripped at her chest with one hand, her heart hammering away like some terrified little animal in her chest. Sweat dripped down her face, which she mentally noted, was still atop her shoulders.
Forcibly calming herself, she breathed deeply then sighed, willing the bad karma from her body and lying back on the many satin pillows of her bed. She stared blankly up into the darkness. Her mind blank; her limbs twitching every now and then. After a moments respite did she move, slowly she raised her hands, concentrating within her being. She could feel it come forth at her call, flowing, surging, crackling into life on her palms.
Violet.
It never changed.
But it was so beautiful. She would hold herself in contempt for wishing to be like her people. She had been blessed—and cursed. Had she any enemies, they would easily find her raven-haired head among the sea of red and brown. Because she was so different, she distanced herself from the people, what did she owe them? They considered her a cripple because of her tainted powers; a demon because of its violet tint. She despised them all for it. She adored her power, even if it made her feel horribly out of place.
She was a princess and should be treated as such, but still she saw the furtive glances cast her way and the whisper of indignation wafting behind her back. They would gaze at her raven-tresses and speak of evil; while others would gaze at her little sister and coo little darlings at her. Blackfire would roll her eyes in disgust and storm away, leaving Starfire in the midst of the crowds.
Condemn her baby sister for always being the little cherub.
Blackfire dispelled her power and angrily turned over in her bed, pushing all thought of her sibling from her mind and attempted to fall back to sleep.
The sheets were too hot, and they would stick to her still sweating body. Her pillows were no longer comfortable and in a fit of terrific impatience, she hurled several of the pillows from her bed. The sheets became choked between her arms and legs and her hair tickled at her nose and mouth.
This was going to be a long night.
A hideous scream awoke Starfire in the early morning; it sounded much like her sister in grave distress. And while this was a dangerous thing to check in on her, Starfire felt her sister might need someone to talk to. So slipping from her sheets and covers, Starfire donned an elegant robe over her nightgown and skipped from her room.
Down the extravagant hall were her sister's quarters. She sidled up to her sister's door and knocked softly.
"Sister," she called softly, "sister!"
There was no reply.
"Sister, I heard your cry and I fear for your welfare. Are you all right?"
There was still no response.
Starfire hesitantly placed her palms on the elegantly carved handle and opened the door slowly.
"Sister?"
"NO!" There was an electric snap in the room within and the handle shocked Starfire with little purple lightening bolts. The door slammed thunderously in Starfire's face as her sister snapped venomously from somewhere very close, beyond the door.
"Keep out. Respect my privacy or I will not respect your right to live."
Starfire bit her lower lip, clutching her hands to her chest. She took several steps back. It was not new that Blackfire would threaten her life; but Starfire had found it used more and more often of late to use this ploy against her. This time, however, the venom in her elder sister's voice left little space for a farce. And Starfire fled.
There was silence in the room beyond. Nothing occurred within the room except a morose violet light.
When Tamaran had revolved its full day and Blackfire still had not left her room, Starfire came to worry for her older sibling. Overcoming the threat of fear, Starfire brewed a traditional Tamaranian concoction that promoted health and good-will.
She now stood hesitantly before her sister's door with the tasty brew in a white, ceramic-type bowl, with an elegant curve and pretty design of weaving lines on its lip.
Starfire knocked softly on the door.
"Sister," she ventured cautiously, "I have brought you a traditional brew that may help you feel better…"
There was no answer to her call.
Starfire looked sadly down at her still steaming soup; trying to keep a disheartening feeling of rejection at bay. She did not wish to take the dish back to the kitchens and she still feared for her sister's health. She resolved at last to leave the soup at her sibling's doorstep.
"I will leave it here for you," she mumbled softly, reverently placing the bowl before Blackfire's door and walking placidly away; unsure if her act of kindness went completely unnoticed.
Another day had passed on Tamaran, and still the eldest princess had not left her room. The youngest princess still feared for her older sister's health.
The red-haired girl returned once again to her sibling's door and found that the bowl still sat outside it. Her heart sank until she came upon it to find it empty! With an elated smile and the feeling that her sister might invite acceptation, Starfire took the dish and skipped back to the kitchen, no doubt her sister would be hungry again.
Starfire returned awhile later with a fresh bowl carrying a dish of yet another type of soup.
"Sister," she called with a bit more strength and confidence than the last time, but still with the same reverence. "I have returned with another meal. Do you wish to partake of it?" There was no answer.
Starfire stood in silence a moment, suddenly uncertain, when the door slid open to complete darkness. She took a hesitant step forward eyes searching deeply for her sister. The red-haired girl left the safety of the light and entered the dark room. Once a few paces inside, the door slammed shut behind her and the light of the outside was extinguished, plunging Starfire into darkness. At nearly the same moment, the dish Starfire had been holding was snatched from her hands and there was noisy, benevolent eating at some point to Starfire's left.
Starfire did not know what to do as she stood in the darkness. She rushed power to her hands in an attempt to lift some of the obscurity—but a sudden frightening rush of noise halted her. The bowl had been dropped, presumably empty, and a hideous snarling erupted behind her. Her arms were suddenly bound behind her, shutting her power from flowing to her arms.
"Do not try that again," her sister hissed in a low, venomous voice, hovering directly over her ear. The danger in Blackfire's voice was more than enough to convince Starfire and she went limp to show that she understood. Slowly the pressure released her arms. The red-haired girl massaged away the numbness in her arms, standing silently in the darkness. Blackfire's voice now sounded to her right—how did she move so quickly in the obscurity?
"If you tell no one, sister, I shall let you into my confidence."
Starfire nodded quickly and voiced her comply.
"Yes sister, I shall tell no one."
There was a pause then a tired sigh and violet light flooded the room. The strange light had always left Starfire in wonder—why did such a marvelous color grace her sister? What purpose had X'hal intended for her older sibling?
Starfire gazed at her sister and inhaled sharply. Her skin, what was not covered by the silk nightgown, had become a deep violet. She could see even though the violet of the room.
"Sister," Starfire came forward and her older sibling did not move, even as she touched one violet cheek, "what has happened to you?"
Blackfire shook her head; her eyes abnormally apprehensive.
"I don't now." A touch of fear had entered the raven-haired girl's voice, and her shoulders shook. "What's wrong with me?"
Blackfire suddenly slumped forward, overcome with pent up emotion and Starfire caught the older girl in her arms. The tears came heavy in Blackfire's eyes, leaving even darker tracks of violet in their wake as they rolled down her cheeks.
Starfire was shocked to say the least. Her proud sister never spilled tears in her presence, let alone the presence of others, yet here now, bent and broken in her arms she lay, rallying loose a whirlwind of weakness. Blackfire's fear, hate, pride, and isolation fell on Starfire in those bitter tears.
The red-haired girl smoothed her elder sibling's hair and whispered soothing words. Several moments passed before Blackfire had composed herself at last. She waved Starfire away, her voice laden with resignation.
"Leave me to my peace and tell no one." Starfire nodded solemnly.
"Of course, sister." The red-haired girl left her sibling to her meditations, taking the little bowl with her.
Blackfire left her room a few moments after her sister. Stealing along passageways and corridors as stealthily as a predator hunting her prey. But she was not out for the hunt, she was out for solitude and reflection. It took several minutes, but once Blackfire made it to the tower, she was home free. Instead of her usual spring from the windows side to fly to the top of the tower—she took the stairs to remain hidden. She felt comfortable; protected in the darkness.
She was grateful to find the rooftop abandoned. Picking her way over brick and spike, she found her comfortable spot amidst the skies. Blackfire pressed her arms around her legs. She sighed heavily, closing her eyes to the sun that had begun to set and shone to her left. There was silence for many moments when the cry of a winged creature nearby startled her enough to open her eyes. There was a trilling sound, suspiciously like laughter, that rose and fell on the air as the creature flew tumbling and turning away. Blackfire grimaced at the creature and proceeded to ignore its taunting calls.
Her angry eyes turned down to the purpled skin and for one mad moment, she wished to tear the flesh from her bones to take away the humiliation that pressed her, which seemed always, too readily. She brazenly shook the thought from her mind, teeth clenched she felt the threat of tears begin to seize her once more. She fought it. Blackfire bit down on her tongue, hard, the sudden pain drew her attentions to the very real pain. Blood trickled down her throat, hovered on her tongue. Its metallic taste, not entirely unpleasant, spilled from the open wound. Blackfire sighed, and the metallic smell wafted to her nose, and she lifted her eyes to the sunset, incensed.
The raven-haired girl gathered her limbs beneath her deftly and sprang from the tower's edge, free-falling for a full moment before she conquered the winds and willed to fly. She thrust her arms behind her, hands balled into fists. One leg drew up close to her chest protectively as her hair and silken shift rippled behind her. She was an elegant figure that soared the skies. She glanced down sharply like some Earthly bird of prey and dove sharply from the sky, touching down in the shelter of the shadows of the forest. The creatures that had chattered and gathered a moment before fled before the dark-haired girl. She monitored their scurrying movements in half-interest, distractedly tossing her loose raven hair over one shoulder.
Power rushed to her palms, darkening the prevailing violet that was already there. There was a rustle overhead and the Tamaranian girl impulsively hurled the bolts she held into the sky. A branch cracked and shattered overhead and Blackfire stepped calmly forward. The mutilated branch collided to the ground behind her with a snap as two winged creatures fell dead in front of her. A shower of warm liquid followed suite like a soft rain of the Early season.
With her hands empty, but eyes still glaring violet, Blackfire surveyed her surroundings.
The winged-creatures had been chaza—lovely little creatures which could be considered an equivalent to the love birds of Earth. Blackfire felt no remorse as she smoothed the blood from her shoulders and head. The violet of her skin disappeared beneath the crimson; the blood trickled into her eyes and they began to burn, she tried to rub them, but the burning only increased. A fierce anger kept the panic at bay, but did not stop a subtle fear from entering her mind. The kill she had just made above her would blind her forever.
"No!" she screamed like an enraged animal and a heavy violet filled her eyes, blood sizzled away in its awesome heat. Everything was still dark around her. Blackfire turned this way and that, desperate to see something, anything, in the undergrowth of the forest. Violet seemed to stretch everywhere before her, the heat beginning to spread throughout her entire body, until her limbs seemed to be set ablaze.
Blackfire cried out in pain. The fire raking across her skin and the burning of her eyes seemed never-ending.
Finally the fires died away and the burning ceased. The event left Blackfire breathless and unsteady on her feet. She teetered dangerously to one side before she righted herself. She closed her eyes, exhaling a tired sigh and raised a still warm hand to her eyes. The warmth was comforting against her closed lids which had ironically been burning only a moment ago. She drew her hand away slowly to contemplate the matter; her eyes opening as well. She studied her palm briefly.
Her heart skipped a beat.
What?
The violet that had dominated her skin for two days had vanished, leaving the cream-colored skin she had so sorely missed. The chain of events that had just occurred fell into place in Blackfire's mind.
She looked up, surveying her surroundings to find the forest around her still smoking from an onslaught. Charred remains of small trees and severely scorched gouges in larger trees surrounded her in the area she stood. With a sense of dawning comprehension, Blackfire slowly made her way forward, finger's outstretched to one charred and broken tree. She touched the bark; the gouge was still hot. The score in the poor tree was at her eye-level. She turned to find it evident that all of the burns had been at her eye level.
Comprehension mounting to excitement, Blackfire turned to a random tree and focused her energy through her eyes. Burning for only a short time, the violet stretched before her. She heard a splintering sound from the tree and she ceased the onslaught of violet to look. A clean hole had been gauged through the tree, exactly where she had focused her gaze.
Happiness flooded through her as she tried the new found power a second and third time. Magnificent.
Blackfire had claimed this area as her own sort of temple—marked with her new glorious power. This land was hers.
Blackfire lifted off from the ground, climbing into a night sky for the sun had set and the land was now shrouded in darkness. She made a mental note of her temple and its location in the wake of the landmarks before she found herself to be home; alighting softly on the window sill of the tower she had left only a few hours ago.
She made her way down and back to her chambers; sighting what would forebear as trouble as two guards were stationed at one grand doorway. Blackfire kept her gaze locked ahead, unable to keep the barest twinge of a smile from her lips. The guards exchanged glances with one another, (why would a princess be out of her chambers in her nightgown of all times of the night?) but they said nothing to the princess and she passed them without inquiry. Feeling deviously sprightly of her brilliance which brightened her mood further, Blackfire veritably swaggered into her chambers; sleeping fitfully for the first night in ages.
Even though the night held no nightmares, the next day did not prove to be so auspicious. Starfire roused her elder sister in the late morning and Blackfire, to the surprise of many, left her chambers fully dressed and smiling smugly. Starfire was elated to see her sister so pleased. Blackfire's strange new adoption of happiness arose some awkward stares, but none argued to her pleasant change of mood. Starfire bounced happily around her sister and Blackfire, for once, did not snap at her antics.
Some of the household were so courageous as to compliment Blackfire on her amiability and she would graciously nod as a proper princess should. A pleasant ambiance surrounded the household as the Fire Sisters made their way to the outside.
"I'm up for a muktar this morning," Blackfire smiled over at her younger sister.
Starfire was nearly suffocating on her joy. A muktar was a delicious Tamaranian desert, generally very expensive, but well worth the expense for its sweet taste and smooth texture that would soothe its way throughout the body. It was a most pleasurable experience. She grinned up admiringly at her elder sibling.
There were many people in the square, but the crowds parted to allow pass the princesses. Smiles were exchanged among them all except one group of girls who stood in a tight unit by a fountain.
"How quaint," sneered one of the girls, "the Fire Sisters grace us this fine morning."
Blackfire returned the sneer as she slowed to a halt before the one who had spoken. Starfire did not like were this was going.
"Sister, let us not become engaged with them, it is a battle they seek." The red-haired girl said softly from behind Blackfire, gently touching her sibling's armored forearm. Blackfire shrugged the touch away.
"What's the matter, princess," the leader of the troupe sneered. "Can't risk being seen among the commoners?" Starfire shook her head quickly, trying to avoid an imminent misunderstanding, but Blackfire stepped in front of the flustered red-head.
"The company is not well to be had." Blackfire said with a superior tilt of her head.
"Well, if I suppose I was a spoiled, pampered palace brat, I'd feel the same way." She snickered to the girl's behind her and the group chuckled as well. Blackfire stepped toward her and the other girls stopped laughing and retreated a step, but the leader did not move.
"And if I suppose I was a boorish, vulgar peasant I would agree as well." Blackfire smiled at the hatred that filled the girl's face and nonchalantly turned, the clash of wits won. Starfire looked to her sister in shock, but did not argue as they began to walk away. The leader's eyes flared a brilliant green.
"At least I'm not some freakish delinquent of an invert to our people!" She snapped after Blackfire. The raven-haired girl froze in her tracks. Starfire stopped also; biting her lower lip, for the insult was a grave one to her sister. It was a truth that Blackfire was a unique individual from the rest of their people. She was the opposite of all outward appearances of Tamaran. She was an invert. Raven hair as opposed to the reds and browns and whereas the Tamaranian people were blessed with a green power, Blackfire held that utterly unique violet. There were none others like it on their planet.
"Sister?" Starfire whispered hesitantly, but it was too late, Blackfire's eyes were glaring a hot violet and Starfire knew instantly to back away. Like lightening, the raven-haired girl turned a full one-hundred and eighty degrees and was flying toward the leader in a furious outrage. The leader was at once pleased and afraid; pleased to have affected the princess to goad her from palace airs to street-brawling and afraid because she was unsure of how to defend herself at such an outright attack. It was nothing new that the eldest princess was well versed in combat and was unafraid to show her talents to the public; if not on the public.
The leader was given no time to decide as a heel connected to her jaw and she fell to the ground; utterly stunned. The raven-haired princess' eyes flared as though they were truly on fire and the violet stretched to strike the leader in the shoulder with a blinding beam of pain that left her shoulder bloodily mutilated. She screamed in pain.
Blackfire stepped hard onto the girl's still smoking shoulder, grinning maliciously, digging her heel into the open wound. The girl screamed again and whimpered in pain, howling for the princess to stop and crying apologies.
"Care to go another round?" Blackfire asked pleasantly. The leader could only whimper in pain. "I didn't think so." The princess gave her one last thrust into the shoulder, extracting another hideous cry from the girl as the princess turned away at last to face the crowd. They gazed back at her in stricken shock, all of them receded a step in a unison sweep. None of the peoples of Tamaran could produce such feats of energy; the most they were capable of was the lighting of their eyes and flight. Only the royals were so blessed with such magnificent gifts. "Have the rest of you any other qualms they'd like to address?" she announced proudly over the crowd, pleased at their horror. Yes, she was different from the rest of them; and she would not have it any other way. "No?" she cried, her eyes illuminating violet once more. The peoples gasped and raised arms in meager defense, who would the enraged princess attack next? Blackfire looked from one shifty eyed Tamaranian to the next, challenging them to speak their minds.
Cowards.
Blackfire's pleasant mood had all but vanished and her customary temper was returned with an arrogant curl of her lips.
"So be it."
She turned back to the road home and the crowd parted immediately with downcast eyes to let her pass lest they suffer her rage. Starfire gazed sadly at her sister's withdrawal to home; a stir of emotions playing across her grievous eyes. She looked to the girls who had damaged her sister's pride to begin with and made her way toward them. The girl's now gazed up at her in fear as they held their leader up in a sitting position, nursing a disfigured shoulder.
"Please forgive my sister; I know she did not mean it…" Starfire smiled sadly, uncertain at her own words.
"Starfire!" Blackfire barked without turning her head nor slowing her pace. "Don't bother."
Starfire understood the undertone of an order to come in her older sibling's voice and she begrudgingly complied. The intended romp with her sister was obviously to be terminated. Blast her luck.
"I am sorry." She whispered, with a small dip of her head and hurried after her sister. They walked side by side in silence as they passed the throngs who kept a safe distance and bowed their heads respectfully. Blackfire glared angrily ahead as Starfire sighed softly to herself; so much for the pleasant disposition on her sister's behalf.
"So, I see you have learned something new." Starfire began uneasily, though she was obviously impressed and frightened at the same time. Blackfire huffed impatiently, but could not suppress a small smile from curling her lips. "But," Starfire ventured cautiously, "was it necessary to prove to them?"
Blackfire's wry smile disappeared.
"I was making a point." She snapped.
"What point is that, sister?" Starfire slowed to a stop.
"That I am different from those commoners. That I am different from our peoples. That in my discrepancy there is strength! That in my distinction there is power!" Blackfire's palms balled into fists and erupted into violet life. "Or have you not noticed, sister, that I am not accepted and regarded with fear and suspicion and reservations because I am marked with a power that is on the opposing end of the spectrum. I am the conflicting personage of you and all else who inhibit this planet. I am Inverted!" Blackfire shrieked, her eyes flaring and power crackling angrily in her palms. Starfire gazed sadly at her sister who had suffered much and was wont to speak of it ever, for it was a weakness in her eyes. Starfire gave her sister a heart-filled smile.
"Sister, it is a gift. A gift X'hal has blessed you with. All are amazed at your powers and skilled abilities of such knowledge and prowess. I wish I were more like you, sister. I wish that I could inherit some of your ability, but it would seem not to be." Starfire said sadly, filling her own palms with emerald power. "The people; they fear what they do not understand. It is unfair that they judge you even before they know you for who you are, it is unjust. So you must prove to them that you are worthy in the most wretched of ways; a pact made of blood and violence…" Starfire dispelled her power and gazed up at her sister with a sad smile. "I hope you might find it in your heart to forgive us someday, for being so foolish."
Blackfire's violet eyes faded, along with the power in her palms. She stared at her younger sibling in a mixed expression of love and hate; as though warring within herself to accept Starfire's praise and reason, or strike her to the ground for her audacity. Her eyes shimmered with a glint of hope and gratitude for a moment, though her lips curled and her eyes were then filled with loathing.
"It is a curse, sister, a curse that plagues my self and soul, though I did not ask for it. Our people will never accept a pariah, even if royals demand it to be so. Although I have tried, I failed to play into the good graces of trust; so I fight and shed blood and only instill fear, and fear is not respect. My power condemns me beyond my means. And whereas I have accepted this curse, all else have not; and I am left alone in this world…Isolated and alone." She murmured bitterly and turned her back to her sister, retreating to the sanctity of the palace at a slow tread; leaving them both in heavy hearts and broken spirits. Starfire watched her sister leave for the third time that day, with tears falling down her face, though she did not follow. She would have given anything for her sister's happiness, though it seemed now, in light of her sister's contention, impossible to be had.
Her poor elder sibling, princess and warrior, was forever bound to suffer the discrimination of their people; as an Inverted.
A/N: WOW! I cannot tell you how good it feels to finally complete this story. It has been sitting on my chest since October of 2004. I suffered great accounts of writer's block and the plot, which was filled with controversy and touchy subjects which I found that I hesitated to write, finally found its way to paper. However, when I did write the story, it was left unfinished and I stopped on it for a long time because I was stuck! Finally a lightening bolt struck my muse and I got to typing this past week and the ending sort of wrote itself…(it's late and my muse works best when I'm half-asleep over the keys…darn muse.)
But yes, it is completed at long, long, long last, and I am rather pleased with how this story came to be. I heave a sigh of relief and a few pats on the back for this one!
I got caught up in the story of the Incredibles and I simply fell in love with Mirage's character and could not help myself to writing stories on her (four in all, if I'm not mistaken, and still a fifth pending completion), much like the stories on Blackfire. I have absolutely no control over my obsessions. I still adore Blackfire for her cunning and her cutting remarks—she's just so evil, my kind of evil! Muahaha!
But I digress; I will not say that I am closed to Blackfire now, but for the moment I am out of idea's on her (I'm hoping that this last huge project will give me some coasting time on this particular arena)…I'm positive that idea's will hit me later, but I will hold off on Teen Titans for a little while to update other stories that I have promised myself and others. So stay tuned! Thank you to all of my wonderful Blackfire fans who seem to keep coming back to read my fics! Much love to you all!
Please review!
Blackfire 18