The centre of Jump City had been brought to a standstill in seconds, all because of two beings. One being looked like a normal teenager, with boyishly long black hair, striking cerulean eyes and attire to match, a dark blue jacket over a black shirt, black jeans and boots. On his back were dual swords, sitting in an X-formation.
"This is an interesting playing field, isn't it my old friend?" the second being taunted, looking less human. Half his face was made of sharp metal plates, an unworldly orange glow acting as his second eye. A shredded black t-shirt poorly hid his chest, which as a sick combination of metal plates and flesh that leaked black fluid. His right arm was entirely metallic, thousands of metal pieces reflecting the city's lights like daggers. His legs, hidden by badly shredded trousers, were just like his chest.
"If you hurt anyone here, you'll regret it," the boy in blue growled, fire dancing in his hands. He knew his opponent was insane, but this was their first battle in a populated city.
"Oh really? I doubt I'll regret hurting you," his opponent laughed, his knife like fingers still stained with dried blood.
The metal boy charged, aiming his claws at his foe's chest, a typical first strike. The boy in blue sidestepped, the orange flames dying away into golden lightning as he rammed his hand into the metal plates on his foe's chest, delivering a painful shock that left him stunned.
"Skyfire, you and I always open with the same moves. No wonder we have this stalemate," he laughed, clutching his metal chest.
"In that case Ragnarok, here's something different," Skyfire muttered, thrusting his hand forward as a jet of flames erupted forth, consuming their target in orange.
"Please, like I can be burned by your flames. Maybe you should become a candle lighter," Ragnarok mocked, his metal arm transforming into a single blade. He charged again, metal clanging against metal as Skyfire's twin blades blocked the attack, sparks flying. Grinning, the elemental sent several thousand volts through his blades, lighting Ragnarok up like a Christmas tree.
"Damn you," Ragnarok growled, black ooze dripping from the metal plates onto the ground. Enraged, he ripped his blade back, taking the two swords with it. His human eye started to glow orange as the black ooze erupted from his arms, sending Skyfire flying into the side of a building.
"You little whelp! You think you can kill me!" Ragnarok yelled, the black ooze destroying cars and burning anyone it touched. "Guess you don't need fire to make things burn!" he cackled, watching his destruction unfold. He looked up, watching as a green hawk circled him, distracted long enough for a sonic blast to knock him flying.
"You picked the wrong city pal. Now are you going to come quietly, or are we gonna have some aggressive negotiating?" Cyborg yelled, his sonic cannon still primed for firing as Beast Boy landed beside him, changing to a rhino.
"I suppose I've had my fun. Though don't expect to rest easy. This is just a trailer for the big movie," Ragnarok chuckled, melting into a black puddle and making his escape.
"Dude, who was that guy? He looked a little like you," Beast Boy asked, surveying the chaos as ambulances moved in and police closed off the area. It was then that the two Titans noticed Skyfire, falling from the building side onto a car bonnet with a thump.
"Didn't get a chance to scan him to find out. But I'll bet blue boy there knows something," Cyborg mused, moving to carry the young elemental to the T-car.
The medical bay was quiet, save for the soft beep of the monitoring device hooked up to the strange new arrival. The silence was appreciated to the violet haired half-demoness as she read her book, sitting next to the sleeping patient while Cyborg sat at a desk of equipment, analysing the black ooze he'd gathered from the battle scene.
The sliding doors hissed open as Robin walked in, the two Titans glancing at their leader as he walked over to Cyborg. His footsteps were silent so as not to wake their patient.
"Learn anything about the ooze?" he whispered, looking at the stuff on the microscope slide.
"Apart from the fact it's corrosive, nothing. Mind you, that guy did have a few cuts, and this black stuff came out instead of blood," Cyborg mumbled, glancing at their patient. "He seems to be human, but while Raven did her thing, we found wings like a dragon's on his back," he added.
It was then that the room temperature increased, not unbearable, but noticeable. Water in a glass sitting on a small table started levitating, a gentle breeze blew around the room as the three Titans prepared for a fight. As sudden as the activity had started, it ceased, though their patient's wounds were now fully healed.
"That must have been a healing trick. You two go. I'll talk to him," Raven ordered, her hands glowing black.
"Good idea. If he can use magic, you'd have better chance fighting him if he turns hostile," Robin muttered, he and Cyborg leaving the room. After a few minutes, Skyfire woke up, jumping from the bed to his feet in a single move.
"To whom do I owe the pleasure?" he questioned, eyes focused on Raven as she watched him carefully.
"Same to you," she replied flatly, her hands still surrounded in dark energy.
"Skylar Firewell. Or Skyfire, if you'd prefer. Now, are you a friend of mine? Or Ragnarok's?" he asked, his wings unfurling to reveal a sky blue membrane with dark blue.
"Raven of the Teen Titans. You're in Titans Tower after a fight with who I'm guessing was Ragnarok," she stated, still cautious of the elemental.
"Correct. I've heard of the Titans, but don't call me rude if I take my exit," he muttered, a strong wind opening one of the windows, only for it to close again through black energy.
"You're not going anywhere. You and Ragnarok brought this fight to Jump City, and since innocent people got hurt, that means you're staying here," Raven ordered, now between Skyfire and the windows.
"With all due respect, if I stay in Jump City, Ragnarok will attack again. Besides, I'm not involving anyone in this fight if I can help it," he growled, his eyes seeming to glow in annoyance.
"And you think you can beat him alone?" Raven asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I can use fire, water, wind, earth and electricity, as well as the advantage of flight. And I can always find two new swords, so don't think that'll stop me from leaving," Skyfire retorted, growing more impatient with each second of standing still.
"Then why haven't beaten him already?" Raven asked, silencing the elemental. "I used to think you can go it alone. But when I joined the Titans, I learned that being part of a team is better than being the lone hero. At least let us help you fight him, otherwise he will beat you," she finished, her indigo eyes glaring up into his cerulean orbs.
"I guess fighting alone made me think it was my responsibility to beat him. But I know enough about the Titans to know that if you're going this far to make someone join, then you're probably right," Skyfire sighed in defeat.
"At least your head isn't entirely as thick as stone," Raven remarked. While not saying anything, Skyfire made his discomfort by grumbling as Raven led the way to the main room.
Lying down on his new bed, Skyfire sighed as he felt the soft covers. It wasn't often he stayed in one place for long, but he had a feeling he could get used to having his own room. Something he hadn't really had in six or seven years.
At the moment, his room was quite bare, needing decorating so that he could call it his own. It had a desk, a single bookshelf, wardrobe and dresser, a reading lamp on a bedside table, as well as a personal computer. His swords were sitting at the end of his bed, as well as his jacket.
As he started to daydream, a knock on the door startled him. When he answered, he was slightly surprised to find Raven standing there, her face as impassive as ever.
"Settling in okay?" she asked, her monotone voice sending a few chills through him, though he didn't show it.
"Yeah, though I'm still waiting for my back to stop hurting," he muttered, wincing as he touched a hand to it.
"Well, that's Starfire for you," Raven sighed, remembering how awkward and pained Skyfire had looked when the Tamaranian hugged him.
"Still, everyone seems nice, though Robin doesn't seem to be too comfortable around me," he added.
"Trust me, the Boy Blunder's always like that around new members. He'll get used to you," she shrugged.
"And what about you? How do you feel about me being here?" Skyfire asked, leaning against the doorpost.
"How so?" Raven asked, eying him suspiciously.
"Well, you seemed so keen to make me stay, yet you didn't speak to me much upstairs," he teased. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that….Ow!" he yelled as a book smacked him on the head, having 'flown' from his desk.
"Good thing you don't know better," Raven mumbled, walking away while Skyfire rubbed his head, already regretting his teasing.
The island was surrounded in a thick fog, hiding the large rock pillars from unsuspecting ships. A single, six floored building stood in the centre, its walls and roof falling apart and threatening collapse. Within the fog, a black mass moved close to the ground, slithering like a snake towards the building.
"Sister, I'm home," Ragnarok muttered, rising from the black mist at the top of some stairs leading down. He descended six flights before arriving at his destination.
Sitting on the floor was a small, thin girl with long black hair, pale white skin, a ripped black tank top and black ripped jeans. From her back sprouted at least six tentacles, black as ink, all hidden within her hair. She looked up, a demented grin on her face as her dark grey eyes locked onto her brother.
"You and Skyfire fought in Jump City. How many humans were hurt? Did you kill anyone?" she asked, her voice like a whisper and filled with child-like anticipation.
"I'd say at least fifteen humans were hurt, though sadly, none died. But, we may have a slight problem," Ragnarok sighed, leaning against a pillar. "I believe Skyfire has allied himself with the Titans, including the daughter of our uncle Trigon. Still, more heroes means more potential bodies, right, my dear Medusa?" he grinned, his teeth like knives.
"Oh yes. I'll love playing with our cousin. Oh how her screams will sound," Medusa giggled, her child like laughter echoing throughout the building.