Chapter Two

By the time Blackfire got to Earth it was night. She landed on the roof of the tower. Her sister was sitting with a friend of hers. They were both floating in the air in a cross legged position. She assumed they were meditating. Her sister's friend, Raven she suudenly recalled, opened her eyes and stood.

"Blackfire."

Her sister, X'hal bless her, always the "special" sister, opened her eyes and promptly fell on her butt. Blackfire's sides hurt by the time she was finished laughing. She just barely dodged the starbolt.

"Blackfire, you treachourous no-good-rotten-terrible-excuse-for-a-sister!"

"Aww...still mad about the fake war and me trying to get you to marry a slime creature?"

"I am very mad indeed sister!"

She giggled. "I'm going to miss you when I'm dead...oh, I made myself sad again..." She deeply sighed.

"Blackfire, what's wrong with your aura?" The witch asked.

"I'm dying." Everytime she said it she felt more acceptance of this fact. She smiled at Starfire. "I'll say hello to Mama and Papa for you. You were their favorite."

"S-sister, what are you talking about?"

"Oh come on, you know it was true."

"No not that. What do you mean you're dying?"

"How much clearer can I get? I'm dying. Six months from now I'm not going to be breathing. I have vara-tol."

She was completely unprepared for the extremely loud Tamaranian mourning howl. She held her ears while her sister wailed to the high heavens. Suddenly Starfire ran and embraced her sister.

"Sister I shall miss you!" She sobbed in Blackfire's chest. "It is a tragedy that we were never friends!"

Come on Starfire...we were kind of friends...kind of...no not really.

She embraced Starfire. "Didn't know you cared enough to let out the mourners howl."

"Of course I care! We're sisters!"

"After you banished me..."

Somehow Starfire managed to speak between her sobs. "Please tell me you did not contract this disease on some world you were on during your exile." She wiped away her tears. "Please tell me this is not my fault. I couldn't take the guilt."

Blackfire shook her head. "No, that's not how you get it. This thing has been in my blood. Remember when my skin turned purple during my change? That's not normal. I found that out a week ago. That must've been when the virus invaded my system. No one caught it. This disease is so rare." A note of concern crept into her voice. "What happened when you went through the change?"

"I turned into a chrysalis."

"Ah...that happened to a friend of mine. She almost got eaten."

"So did I."

"I came here for a reason. I need to make peace before I join my ancestors in the land beyond the stars."

"What is it, sister?"

"I'm sorry. Really, I mean that. Life is just so damned short and I wasted it being a total bitch to everyone. I was an idiot and I beg your forgiveness."

"Of course I forgive you!" Shouted Starfire once again embracing her sister in a bear hug. Blackfire began to cough. She dropped down to the ground, blood escaping her lips. Starfire and Raven helped her up.

"It's progressed." Murmured Blackfire.

"Sister, I shall prepare for you the soup of healing."

She nodded. "Your kindness is appreciated Kori."

"Kori?" Wondered Raven.

"Koriand'r is my name in Tamaranian."

"Mine is Kommand'r in case you were curious."

Raven and Starfire took her by the shoulders and led her inside.