Artemis Chapter 4:Origins and Revelations

Artemis weaved in and out of traffic on her new motorcycle. This thing handles like a dream. She hit the brakes for the fifth time as another car pulled in front of her at a light, and smiled. And it stops on a dime.

At the next red light, she turned around quickly to check on Starfire. She seemed slightly- green? "Are you all right?" Artemis asked. Starfire said nothing, but turned a tinge greener. I should drive slower, she thought. Something tells me she isn't used to conventional forms of transportation.

They arrived at Artemis' apartment complex fifteen minutes later on the outskirts of the city. The cracked, flickering illuminated sign read: Sky Heights. The building looked as though a demolitions crew had started demolishing the building; and they had fallen asleep while doing it. The bricks holding the building together visibly crumbed and fell to the street. Starfire gazed up at the building disparagingly. This is such a horrible place to make one's residence, she thought. Artemis caught her gaze and the meaning implied within it. She too glanced up at the building, and chuckled. "No place like home, huh?"

Artemis drove into a narrow alley, next to the building. Once she parked, she reached into a dumpster and pulled out thick metal chains and a padlock. She pulled off her helmet and took Starfire's as well. She lashed the bike and the two helmets to a fire escape. She then turned to Starfire. "My apartment's on one of the top floors", she said. "When we get inside, walk tall, look like you know what you're doing, and above all things- don't talk to anyone."

They entered the inside of the apartment building. The inside was as decrepit as the outside, with peeling wallpaper and rotting wood. Artemis approached the front desk-well, the front card table. A grey haired man sat asleep in the corner. She rapped her hands impatiently on the wooden surface. "Hey! Hey! Wake up!," she shouted. The man jerked awake, looking around bleary-eyed. "What in the blue blazes-" he slurred sleepily. "Oh, just you kid. Whaddya want?"

"Any mail for me?" Artemis asked hopefully.

He laughed. "Yeah. Bills." He handed her a small stack which she began to shuffle through. Hmm, cell phone, cable, internet, electric, and the list goes on and on and on... Hmph. I'm only fifteen, I have a few more years before I should have to worry about this. Still..

"Hey, kid! You know what day it is; where's my rent money?" Artemis withdrew a money clip from her pack and handed over some money. "Since when have I held out on you Steve?" Geez, between him and the bills, I can barely keep up!

Steve shuffled through the bills and made sure everything was satisfactory. "Thanks kid," he said. Artemis looked around for Starfire, who was leaning against the wall, enthusiastically asking passerby how their day was going. Artemis sighed. So much for not talking to anyone.

"Come on," Artemis said. "I'll show you to my apartment." Artemis led Starfire down the hallway to a rusty, ancient elevator. One of the doors were slightly tilted, and there were various messages and obscenities spray-painted on the doors, lurid paint practically disguising them. Starfire had seen many elevators on Earth, and this thing was not one of them.

"It seems the elevator has ceased functioning for the time being," Starfire stated politely. "It would seem we have to use the stairs as an alternate form of travel."

"No, the elevator always looks like that," Artemis said. Nice try; that's what I thought when I first moved in. She pushed a button on the wall. Sure enough, the doors slid open, and Artemis stepped inside. Starfire stood outside the entrance to the elevator, too repulsed by it to walk in. Artemis sighed. "Come on, it won't bite." Starfire stepped inside cautiously.

"You may begin the starting of the elevator now, Artemis. I suppose there is anything wrong with going for a ride, if you insist."

Artemis pressed a button in the elevator and the doors slid shut with a loud grating. Starfire's words made her chuckle lightly. "Famous last words, Star," she muttered.

"What was that Artemis?" Starfire asked.

"Nothing, Starfire. Absolutely nothing."

Unbeknownst to Starfire, Steve, the landlord, actually rented out the decrepit elevator to teenagers looking for a thrill ride. As long as they paid cash and signed a lengthy waiver of course. According to those brave enough to ride it, the equivalent of riding the "Elevator to Hell" was like riding a wheel- less roller coaster cart down a skyscraper. Needless to say, Star was in for the thrill of a lifetime. Artemis strode out with somewhat relative ease, having much experience with the elevator behind her. Starfire however was a much different story.

Starfire was tilting, almost comically, Artemis' shoulder being her only form of support. "Please, friend Artemis, can you tell the elevator that we have reached our floor of destination and that the room can stop moving? And when did you suddenly multiply?"

She grabbed Starfire's wrist and stood her up. "Let's go before you start seeing pink elephants." Ignoring Starfire's protests that elephants were in fact grey, and no, even if an elephant was pink it did not make said elephant related to a flamingo; Artemis led her down the hall.

They reached Artemis' apartment in a matter of minutes. She pulled out keys and unlocked the door. The door opened and Artemis ushered Starfire inside. She closed and locked the door behind her, tossing the keys onto a small table in the hallway. She gestured to a table and two chairs in what appeared to be the living room. "Well," she said, "It's not much, but it's home." She stared at the bills she had in disgust, before her procrastinating side took over; a tiny, black flame burst out of her palm, and burnt them all away. She chuckled as she let the ashes fall on the ground. I'll pay them later.

Starfire looked around. "You live here, all alone?"

"Yeah."

Starfire frowned. "How sad, to live alone."

Artemis shrugged. "It's not all bad. I have cable."

The first thing Artemis did now that she was home was go her room to change out of her street clothes into some green pajamas. Then she returned to Starfire, who was sitting in one of the chairs Artemis offered to her. Starfire stared at her choice of clothes. She was wearing a green short-sleeved shirt with black shorts, but her armbands were still on. I am beginning to wonder if her armbands are capable of being removed. Starfire thought curiously.

Artemis tossed her a throw pillow that was on the couch. "Make yourself comfortable. We have much to discuss." Starfire caught it and used it as a neck rest, waiting patiently for Artemis to sit down.

Artemis walked into the kitchen. "I'm making tea. Do you want any?" she called over her shoulder.

Starfire thought about it. "No, friend, I will have to decline. However, might you have any mustard for me to partake of?"

Artemis stuck her head out the doorway. "Did you just ask me for mustard? To drink?!?"

"Yes," Starfire replied. "It is a most enjoyable substance, one not found from where I am from."

"And where are you from?" Artemis asked. What kind of place doesn't have mustard?

Starfire paused. "I am what you would call an- alien? Is that the right term?"

Her reply only confused Artemis further. "Wait, like, 'South of the Border' kind of alien, or 'Live long and prosper' kind of alien?"

Starfire seemed puzzled by the question. "If by 'South of the Border', you are referring to 'past your Milky Way', then yes: I am the first kind of alien you mentioned."

"Sooo- you're from..."

Starfire perked up. "Tamaran. It is a small planet, in the Vegan Star System. I left though, and now I am here, on Earth with the Teen Titans."

"Wait, you're a Titan; like, as in the super-powered teenagers the stop crime on a daily basis?"

She nodded. "Does this surprise you?"

"What, the alien bit, or the fact that you're a Titan?"

"Umm... Both?" She frowned. "Does it bother you that I am a Tamaranean?"

Artemis shrugged. "It doesn't bother me; that much information is just a lot to get in a minute. I'll be fine, it just needs to soak in."

Starfire nodded happily. "I see what you mean. Do you require water for the soaking?"

"No," Artemis said. "I'll just-" she pointed to the kitchen, "-get our drinks, and- stuff. Um, you can just relax, I guess." She stared at Starfire curiously while she was looking the other way. 'An alien?' she mouthed as she turned the other way. She doesn't look like an alien. She sure talks like one though. But no second mouth, or acid blood, or evil parasitic tendencies, or- She shook her head, and walked off into the kitchen. I've been watching way too many sci-fi movies. Artemis went into the kitchen for a few minutes and returned with a teapot and mug, and a jar of mustard with a straw. "Honey tea for me," she said, setting the teapot down, "And of course, only the finest twenty first century French mustard for my guest," she said smiling, and presented the jar with flourish. Starfire took it eagerly.

Artemis shrugged off her pack and tossed it onto the couch, then sat down in the chair opposite Starfire.

"So, Artemis, why do you live here, alone?" asked Starfire.

She didn't answer for a few seconds, preferring to drink her tea, even though it was scalding hot. "I live alone because there's no one to live with me," she said simply, ignoring her burnt tongue. "That's all."

Starfire didn't drop the issue. "But surely you have family and friends that would find it to their liking to live with you." Artemis said nothing, which concerned Starfire. "Do you not?" she asked. Again, Artemis said nothing. "Do you wish to talk about it?" Artemis stayed still for a few more seconds, but at last managed a slight nod. "Go ahead," said Starfire. "I will listen."

Artemis took a drink of her tea before speaking. "The history of where I come from is a well- something I don't talk about much. At all, really. I think I can tell you, though. You seem honest enough. But please hold off on telling your friends about what we will discuss until I permit it. I'm sure your friends are as trustworthy as you are, but I am forced to take such precautions. Also, my story gets kind of lengthy. You sure you want to know? We could be here for a while; I don't want to bore you."

Starfire nodded. If she had made herself an enemy of Slade, she would have to be very cautious. "I swear on the throne of the Grand Ruler of the planet of Tamaran, that I, Starfire, will keep your secrets until the time to reveal them comes to be. You can trust me." Starfire smiled. "Also, I do not mind a lengthy tale. I do not believe I am going anywhere sometime soon. You will not bore me, I assure you."

Artemis shrugged. "Well, alright, I guess. Here goes." Starfire leaned forward in anticipation, waiting for her to begin.

"I was born here, on Earth, so I can't say that I'm an extraterrestrial being like you. But my parents and ancestors were born somewhere else, some parallel dimension I guess you'd call it; which they dubbed 'The Elemental Plane.' Everyone there was a normal enough, albeit each person controlled the element of their corresponding sect. There were once four sects, the Aeras, Hydras, Pyras, and Teras, each one devoted the elements of Air, Water, Fire and Earth respectively."

Starfire stopped Artemis, for she already had a question. "How were your people... devoted to an element?" she asked. "How did that happen?"

Artemis only shrugged. "I do not know; I was never told. There was a legend, a sort of creationist myth that related to it, but I don't remember what it was. I just thought that we were all given an element at birth. When I was very little, though, I realized that it didn't happen to everyone. I think when my parents left the Plane, they were surprised that Earth was very different in that respect."

Starfire frowned slightly, since she didn't receive a real answer to her question. "I see," she said. "I am sorry to have interrupted, please continue."

Artemis nodded. "The Aeras devoted themselves to of course, matters of the air. They monitored the weather, and kept watch for disasters. They were a strong, fierce people, and were counted upon for leadership. However, they also had a fun-loving side, and many of them were artists and poets. The Hydras protected the Plane from tidal waves and droughts. They were a compassionate, loving people, well noted for their craftsmanship in all that they built. The Teras lived close to the ground, stopping earthquakes and moving mountains. They were a stubborn people, unmovable as the rock itself. However, they were dependable and loyal to their cause. Many of them were mathematicians, philosophers, and professors. Pyras, were- different, for lack of a better word. Little was known about them, as they kept hidden. They enjoyed their power a bit too much and caused catastrophic volcanic eruptions. They gave in to intense emotion, resulting in a lack of control. I don't think that they saw it like this, however. They felt they were liberating nature and shaping our existence. Despite these differences between them, the Sects lived peacefully among each other, with the exception of a few minor wars."

"However, about twenty or so years ago, a great disaster swept across the Plane. Many people died, and many more were captured by some powerful being, an unseen force. Those captured were never seen again, at least, that's what I was told. A mass exodus left the Plane, casting their lots with an existence on Earth, with the rest of humanity. They dared not practice their gifts, for fear that the evil would find them."

"The entrance to the Plane was locked somehow. I always thought it was magic, but I've never seen or heard of sorcery like that, nothing an Elemental could do anyway. My mother and father found two of their trusted friends, and left. They were among the last to leave, the last to really put up a fight. They left determined, wanting to find displaced Elementals and unite them, so they could attack the evil, and maybe win their land back."

Starfire was intrigued with the idea of a rebellion, being quite familiar to the concept on her home planet. "Did they succeed in rebellion?" she asked.

Artemis bit her tongue when she considered telling Starfire to stop asking questions. It means she's interested, and there's nothing wrong with that. I should be glad I have someone to talk to.

"Sort of," Artemis continued. "They found eighteen of the Elementals still alive. They were all orphaned children, and they had no idea of their gifts or where they came from. They were all very young, not even five years old, and they were living in the same general area, scattered in different adoption agencies. The four of them adopted the children, and took them with them on their journey to find a safe place to live."

"All of the children they found had been abandoned the same way. Both of the parents went missing, often at the same time. Further evidence suggested that the evil in the Plane was hunting down those who had escaped. It captured those it could and killed whoever put up a fight. It is likely that the children remained unnoticed because their gifts had not taken shape. It seemed even refusing to acknowledge their gifts did not keep the evil from finding them."

"The four of them built a sanctuary, a place where they could hide from the disaster that destroyed the Plane. It was so secluded, they were confident that the evil could not find them. It was also a place where the education of the recovered children could begin. Where they could learn to control the Elements as their parents and grandparents had."

"Around the time the Sanctuary was finished I was born. There was a great celebration in the Sanctuary. I remember nothing about this, but my mother often told me about that happy time."

"A year later, my sister was born. The Elemental masters my mother traveled with were overjoyed. The Masters and my parents saw much potential in me. They were certain that such potential also dwelt within my sister."

"However soon it became a time of great tragedy and sorrow. A week after my sister was born, my father was taken. A great search went underway, but he was never found. The force that destroyed the Plane left its sign, proof that it had taken my father away. It was only him, though. The children were left alone, the Masters were unscathed, and my sister and I slept soundly in our beds. It only wanted him." Artemis stopped to refill her tea, as it had already gone. "No one ever saw my father again," she said quietly.

Starfire gazed at the girl sadly. "It is a crime to have one's parent stolen from them at such a young age. I give you my sympathies."

Artemis smiled. "I- uh, thank you," she said, sipping her tea, not sure of what else to say to that.

Starfire waited for her to be done. "Please, Artemis, continue your tale. It surely gets better, correct?"

Artemis thought about it. "Well, it definitely gets more interesting, but "better" isn't a word I would use. But if you want me to finish..." Starfire nodded profusely. Artemis sighed. "Alright."

"My mother slowly came to terms with her grief and began to train us in the Elemental Arts. It was determined that I was to be raised to follow the ways of the Aera. My sister was trained in the ways of the Tera. It was always thought opposite however, because of our personalities. I was more serious of the two of us, and all she wanted to do was have fun."

"My sister never really understood the implications of her abilities, or the responsibilities they entailed. In the years I spent at the Sanctuary, I studied carefully, and trained continuously to gain control over my element. Master Gana was very proud of what I had achieved, but always thought that I could do more, so she continued to push me. It wasn't until I set a tree on fire out of frustration that she realized I was a bit- different than the other Aeras she was teaching. The Masters held a meeting, where it was decided that I was capable of controlling the four elements, not just one. It's a trait that wasn't uncommon in the Plane, but I was the only one in the Sanctuary to possess it."

"I think my sister resented this, in a way. She must have grown tired of living in my shadow. She still remained one of my most trusted friends. I had other friends as well. Atalanta was one of them. She is the last of her kind; She is the only known survivor of the Pyra." Don't you mean 'was'? Artemis thought darkly though she did not voice this out loud.

Starfire was curious. "How did she learn how to use her power if she was the only one of her kind?" she asked.

"There was no Master to teach her, as my father was the only other Fire Sect member before Atalanta. She decided to teach herself, with the aid of whatever books the Masters had salvaged. After a bit of convincing, she was the one that became my teacher." Artemis chuckled. "Let me tell you, perfectionists make really frustrating teachers."

"Did you have any other friends besides this Atalanta?" Starfire asked. She thought of the photograph she had seen in Artemis' pack. "Such as -special- friends?"

The question took Artemis by surprise, as she could see the meaning hidden in the question. She's being awfully forward! "Everyone there I could consider my friend, and they were -are- very special to me," she stammered out. "But I think I know what you mean. His name was Teraan."

Starfire nodded. "How would you describe him?"

Artemis smiled. "That's a good question. He was a Hydra, like his parents I suppose; I never really asked him about his parents. That was kind of a touchy subject at the Sanctuary, y'know? He was kind, and funny, in an unconventional sort of way. It took a lot of effort to appreciate his sense of humor, and even now I still really don't understand him. He was talented, and Master Kuval praised him for his skill controlling water. Teraan had an unusual talent, one that came in handy. Ever since he was little, he would always make weapons based on whatever ideas he had taken from reading or by listening to the Masters' stories. He improved vastly over time with a lot of practice, making spears, bows, arrows, and, when he felt like challenging himself: swords. Some of them we used to hunt, since we grew and captured our own food. Two of the Masters took the more fanciful of his creations, and sold them at a crafts fair they found each year. We made a lot of money thanks to him, which for the most part we gave away, because- well, what use was money in the middle of nowhere anyway?"

Starfire seemed excited of Artemis' description of her friend. "What a fascinating talent," she said excitedly. "Tell me, did your sister have talents as well?"

Artemis took a second, either to collect her thoughts, or to try and avoid the question. "My sister is a very gifted poet, but her powers are a different story. My sister had no control over her powers. My mother tried to teach her to control the Earth as she did, but my sister found it hopeless, though my mother never gave up on her. I tried to keep her spirits up, but she just couldn't be helped. She kept her real feelings bottled up, refusing to let anyone help her."

Starfire slurped her mustard quietly while Artemis continued. Refusing help.. Such a horrible thing to do. Especially from your own mother...

"After I had lived in the Sanctuary for eight years, we met a man, one who had 'chanced' his way into our home. He said he was a famous fighter, rich from his skill, but wanted to find honor in his life, since he said a great portion of it was dishonestly lived. He thought he could find honor by teaching others how to fight as he did, and to earn power and honor, which would in turn, redeem himself. On his trek, he said, he encountered us. He was 'enchanted' by us and our way of life, and he wanted to teach us the way of honor as he learned it. He said he wanted to teach us how to fight, to bring combat into the use of our powers." She sipped her tea, a dark look on her face. "And teach us he did. It was the Masters' greatest mistake. For that man, Slade, would be the death of them all." Artemis took a moment to drink her tea in silence and collect her thoughts, unaware of Starfire's widening eyes.

"He taught us all in the art of fighting. Teraan, Atalanta, and I proved ourselves to be adept at fighting, at least, whenever we were able to learn. Slade was always gone for great periods of time, but a spot was always left for him at the Sanctuary when he returned. My sister, again, couldn't keep up with his teachings, nor do I think she really wanted to in the first place."

"Teraan also, again, aided me in my training, since I found many aspects of fighting difficult to learn. I appreciated the hunt, but not what you should do with the prey afterwards." Starfire understood what she meant, for it was a part of being a warrior that Starfire herself found distasteful: they both hated the idea of killing.

"Teraan showed me many techniques that he had learned from researching the Water Sect's history. We grew- very close- during this time. My sister always teased me, saying we belonged together, and that we both had major crushes on each other." Artemis laughed sadly. "I suppose we did."

Starfire interjected. "Please, Artemis, explain this 'crush' thing to me. My friend Raven says I feel this way to Robin, but she, and my other friends, have refused to clarify the matter further. I think this is untrue, though. I have no desire to crush or pummel Robin in any way, shape, or form. Is this 'crushing' a courtship ritual on your planet? If so, your people are more barbaric than I previously believed."

Artemis laughed uproariously. "No, it isn't," she said between laughs. "It means- um, that you're admiring someone from a distance, but you aren't dating. If you're lucky, the person you're admiring likes you too." Artemis struggled to withhold a smirk. "So, do you have a crush on Robin?"

Starfire blushed furiously. "Well, um, that is an, um, a difficult question for the answering."

"Not really," she replied. "I mean, every girl, at least once, has had a crush on Boy Wonder. That is who we're talking about, right? Cute martial arts guru and leader of the Teen Titans?" She hoped her words would force Starfire into speaking, which proved to be a little too correct.

"What do you mean, every girl? And what do you mean by 'cute'?!" Starfire questioned. She seemed to be getting angry, if the glow in her eyes was any suggestion. A tiny green orb flashed in Starfire's hand and she clenched her fist, forcing it to grow larger.

"Okay, okay, jealousy noted," Artemis said. She raised her hands in mock surrender. "Don't get all crazy on me, now. It was just an observation." Starfire unclenched her fists, and the green glow disappeared. Artemis nodded weakly. "Okay, then. Based on your, ahem, interesting reaction, I'm going to go ahead and assume that, yes, you do have a 'small' crush on Robin."

Starfire looked up at the ceiling, wondering if it would be rude to blast a hole in it and escape before the conversation took a more embarrassing turn. She decided that it would be rude and chose to stay. "I may have what is to be considered a 'crush' on Robin," she stated primly, still blushing furiously. This is all she is getting out of me; I will not even begin to discuss what occurred between us in Tokyo.

"Good, you admitted it. Now we're getting somewhere." Artemis rubbed her hands together gleefully and adjusted herself in her chair. Her eyes glinted with a mischievousness Starfire had not known was there.

The cogs in Starfire's head turned quickly. She had to think of a way to get Artemis off this embarrassing track of thought. She thought of one.

"So, Artemis, did you and this Teraan ever begin the 'going out'? she asked casually. Where is he located now? Nearby, perhaps." Now let's see who will become the embarrassed one.

Artemis sighed sadly and looked away. Starfire thought she saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes. "No," said Artemis, quickly growing serious. "He is nowhere near here."

I did not mean to upset her, Starfire thought worriedly. This Teraan- he must have hurt her. Perhaps he did the breaking of her heart? Oh, she has begun the telling of her story again. I should listen now.

"I was fourteen," she began. "I had just celebrated my birthday, and I had moved up a rank in the eyes of the Masters. I was one step up from a child, but still not an adult. I guess you could call it my entrance into 'teenager-dom'. Either way, I was given a brief reprieve from training so I could fully enjoy my 'step up' with my friends. Even though we were completely isolated from society, with the exception of Slade, who got as as 'cultured' as he could; we still celebrated birthdays. We still gave presents to one another. After my birthday, I was- a bit angry with Teraan, since everyone had joined in on the party and given gifts, and he had not even shown up, nor did he give a present. He had spent the next week pretty much avoiding me whenever I tried to talk to him, instead he waited until my last official day of break to talk to me." She grimaced, remembering how she hadn't really wanted to talk to him.

She stopped her story abruptly, to stand and take out her swords. Starfire looked on curiously. Artemis unwrapped one of the swords quickly, pulling it out of its sheath. She placed it on the table between them. "What do you see when you look at it?" Artemis asked.

Starfire bit her lip, trying to think. "I see a beautifully forged weapon, and a sword worthy of beholding."

Artemis grinned, running her finger across the side of the blade. "Whenever I see it, I think of it as a very belated birthday present."

Starfire gasped, making the connection. "Teraan crafted these?!"

Artemis smiled. "He did, and that's why he chose not to show himself at my party because his gifts weren't ready. I was flattered, obviously. No one had ever put in that much effort just to give me a gift; I didn't really know what to say." Artemis' words were starting to run together, and Starfire noticed a faint blush on her cheeks.

"So," Starfire asked, her tone light and teasing, "If your mouths could not form words, what exactly were you doing with them?" She smiled happily. Oh, yes. I think I have directed the focus away from me.

Artemis choked on her tea. "Well, um, uh, we started, um, talking, and then, well, one thing, sorta," she tried to hide behind her tea cup. "You want me to go into detail, don't you?!" she cried, shamefaced, her blush all the more apparent.

Starfire smiled. "Detail is not necessary, friend. I believe I can infer what happened between you and Teraan. You were a 'couple' following this, yes?"

Artemis bit her lip, still quite embarrassed. "Um, yeah, I guess that's what you'd call it. A week later, he said he wanted to show me something." She took a few minutes to reminisce. Starfire only smiled. This was obviously a happy time for her, and she would be willing to wait as long as she needed to. Then Artemis' mood changed abruptly and she looked close to tears again. However, she continued her story.

"He said he found a small cave in the forests of the Sanctuary, and he wanted to take me with him when he went to check it out. I agreed and we set out for the cave. When we got there, we discovered that someone else had already found the cave. It was my sister. Since neither of us could find a nice way to tell her to get lost, she tagged along."

"The cave was- amazing. It must have been thousands of years old. It was hard to believe no one had laid eyes upon it before. We went deep into the cave. We weren't lost though, Teraan seemed to know where he was going. After a while, though, we could feel tremors in the earth. I thought we should leave, but Teraan wanted to stay. The vibrations continued the longer we were in the cave." Starfire noticed that Artemis had stopped to think over a few things. She was looking down, staring into her tea silently.

"It occurred to me that my sister might be causing the vibrations, as she could not fully control her powers. I suggested this to her and she became offended. She said she would never have come with us if she didn't think she could handle it. I said I knew that, but sometimes her mind wandered, and her control slipped."

"My sister became very angry at me, because of what I had said. The situation became serious then, as chunks of rock started to fall down on us. We started to make our way to the cave's entrance. Then the situation became critical. More rock was falling, and whole sections crumbled under their own weight. Teraan pushed me out of the way, and by doing so, I was separated from my sister and Teraan. I escaped from the cave-in by hiding under a rock shelf. A little more than ten minutes later, the rockslide stopped, and I left my makeshift shelter to find the both of them. It was very hard to see, but I heard crying. I followed it, and I found my sister, alone, Teraan no where in sight. She was sitting, and she kept saying it was her fault, and that she should have known this one going to happen, that she should have left the cave when she had the chance. She kept repeating over and over, until I got her to talk to me. She started crying more then, and she told me that after Teraan had separated me from the two of them-" she stopped, unable to continue. Starfire knew what Artemis was going to say next, and already, she was sad. "-after Teraan separated us," Artemis said, her eyes filling with tears, "he was killed, by a falling rock." Artemis gripped her mug tightly. "A rock that my sister made fall."

Starfire gave Artemis some time to take a break, and sip from her tea. "I am sorry, friend Artemis, for your loss. Your friend, Teraan, you loved him, did you not?"

Artemis looked up at Starfire, slightly shocked. "You have a knack for asking those deep, personal, questions no one wants to answer, don't you?"

Starfire looked down, ashamed. "I am sorry, friend, I should not have pried like that."

Artemis sighed. "It's alright. I suppose, well, yes, I think I did love him. I did."

Starfire touched Artemis' hand, trying to offer comfort. "I am sorry I asked you to relive these memories," she said. "But, please, if you feel up to the task, can you finish your tale? If you do not wish to, I understand completely."

Artemis nodded, and after a few more minutes of awkward silence, continued her story. "I regretted what I did next. I grew angry at my sister for what she had done. Teraan was one of the most important people in the world to me, and my own sister was responsible for his death. I was- furious. No, furious was an understatement. I was more angry than anyone had ever seen me. I wanted to hurt her, and I told her that, too. I think I scared her, for she had never seen me truly angered before. I told her she was useless, a person who only caused death and pain. She should never have been born, I told her. She left, crying, running out of the cave."

Starfire was shocked, and saddened at the recent turn of events in the story. She could empathize with Artemis' reaction, though, however harsh it was. If anything were to happen to Robin, Starfire was sure she would react in the same way, even if one of her friends was responsible. She frowned, and looked at Artemis. "I would have reacted the same way," Starfire told her. Artemis didn't appear to take any sort of comfort from Starfire's words, but she continued on with her story regardless.

"I left the cave slowly, unwilling to leave Teraan's body, wherever it was, behind. When I left the cave, I closed the cave's mouth with stone, and I made sure no one could ever enter the cave again. I wrote an inscription on the rock, so everyone could know what had happened inside. I spent hours outside the cave, not wanting to leave. When I finally did leave, I felt empty. It was like I was leaving something behind. I wanted to seriously hurt my sister. To make her pay for what she did, even if she didn't mean it."

"My mother found me first. She wanted to know what had happened. I told her everything, the cave, my sister losing control, Teraan's death, my own anger. She told me to seek her out. She had seen her visit Slade's chambers and then she ran into her room hours ago, but knew not to disturb her. She told me to apologize, for it was the only way to rebuild our shattered friendship."

"I was too late to apologize however. My sister was gone. She ran away and left only a note behind. It said I was right and that she did not belong with the other Elementals, or anyone for that matter. It also said Slade was right about her, that she was doing the right thing, to run away like he told her to. This was what had puzzled me. Slade had been a mentor for all of us, and we would often seek him out for advice. His words were just as highly valued as the Masters. Why would he tell my sister to run away as she did?"

"I told my mother of Slade telling her to run away and she ran to the Masters' wing to tell them. She thought we could all find her if we moved fast enough. She alerted other Elementals of what happened, and they prepared to go find my sister.

I meanwhile, strapped on the swords Teraan had given me, and went to face Slade. When I entered his quarters it was dark."

"I fumbled around looking for the lights when I tripped on the floor. There was a slight ridge between the floorboards, just slight enough for my shoe to become stuck between the floorboards. When I tried to unstick my foot, a floorboard popped out. I tried to put it back in but I noticed something in the near darkness. It was part of a metal hatch. I pulled up more of the floorboards and fully exposed the hatch. I opened it and climbed a ladder down to some sort of cave."

"It was known that there was a cave system nearby. The Masters used it to train the Earth Elementals. But I had not seen this cave before. The walls were lined with steel. Many T.V. monitors were lined up against one wall. There was a large desk in the corner."

"I shifted through the files on top of the desk. It was odd to see such suspicious behavior from the man we let into the Sanctuary. Sure, he traveled a lot, I thought then, but we never suspected him of anything. I know better now though."

"I couldn't see anything of value. Before I could make a more complete search, I heard a noise behind me. It was Slade. For once in my life I was afraid of him. The armor and mask which no one had ever seen him take off seemed to glow with darkness and power.

"While I tried to come up with a believable excuse as to why I was there, he spoke first. He told me things I never expected to hear from one of the most trusted people in the Sanctuary. He spoke of conquest and power. He told me to leave behind the Elementals and join him in his plans for total domination."

"I confronted him. I asked him what had happened to the mentor the people in the Sanctuary had come to revere. Why did he tell my sister to run away, I had asked him. I was growing angrier by the minute. If there is anything I hate in this world, it is liars. Betrayers who cheat and steal to get ahead. And unfortunately I realized Slade had been one of them all along. He was a betrayer, who haunted the darkness of the mind. He was like the stroke of death to all integrity and those who possess it. He had come to our humble Sanctuary for power, not honor. And I did not realize that in a few short moments he would take all that mattered in my life away."

"He told me he told my sister to run away for a reason. He wanted my life broken of all emotional ties. He was pleased that Teraan was killed in the cave. He said life should be devoid of love, that it distracted the mind from achieving the pinnacle of success. He offered me a proposition: a chance to become his apprentice, to hold all the power he had mentioned in my grasp. He said if I had more power, I might have stopped that rock from killing Teraan. That more than anything set me over the edge."

"I spit on his armor, letting that be my answer to his proposition. He laughed at this. We fought afterwards. I knew I was letting my anger cloud my judgement, but I didn't care. He beat me easily. He laughed at my pathetic attempt to best him. He said if I didn't join him it didn't matter, because he really didn't need two apprentices."

"I saw someone enter behind him. It was Atalanta. It became apparent to me then that not all of Slade's beguiling words of power had fallen upon deaf ears. For Atalanta was Slade's other apprentice, another betrayer. Her betrayal was felt the worst though. Atalanta was a close friend of mine, another Elemental. Yet she had betrayed her own kind, her own people without a second glance."

"I tried to turn her back, but she was adamant on her decision. She refused to back down. She said if I was too weak to join them, I was too weak to live. Slade ordered her to do the unthinkable. He ordered her to kill me. I looked to her, thinking that she might help me."

"I thought his order would force her to see that, behind his snake-like lies and misconceptions, he was nothing short of evil. To my horror she agreed. She said it would be her pleasure."

"Even though she betrayed me, I could tell she was holding back. Even though, her attack was strong enough to knock me unconscious. I awoke in a daze, thinking only a few minutes had passed. In reality, it had been a few hours. Judging on how I appeared when I saw my reflection, I was not surprised I was left for dead. I was bruised and battered, due to by fight with Slade. I was bleeding; Atalanta did cut me, in word and deed. She did worse then that though. Far worse." Artemis fingered one of her armbands but said nothing else. Starfire noticed this action, but said nothing.

"I quickly made my way to the surface, despite my injuries. The other Elementals had to be warned of Slade's betrayal, and soon." She stopped for a moment to collect her many thoughts. "I was quick to realize that there would be no one else to warn." Starfire bit her lip, mindful of the foreboding words.

Artemis stumbled in her speech, her eyes becoming hollow and dull. "I-it was a massacre. Everything, from the gardens I would tend with my mother, to the fountains at the heart of the Sanctuary, were gone. There is no greater horror than walking through what used to be your home. Knowing every one, single person you cared about were gone. The stench of death, and acrid fumes clotted the air. The land was quiet and foreboding. No birds flew, nor were there any wildlife flitting through the halls, as there once was. My friends were dead, every last one of them."

Starfire's eyes were large and wide, and she blinked frequently, trying to dispel tears. She could not even imagine, nor would she really want to imagine seeing her friends dead.

"They were no mere drones. They were soldiers, Slade's drone army, those he used to wipe out the Sanctuary. There were so many, at least two hundred. He used sheer force to wipe what was left of my people off the face of the Earth. Most of them were ripped apart, like my friends had been able to fight back before they were overwhelmed. Others, it seemed, had self-destructed after they had fulfilled their purpose."

I looked into the distance, past the battlefield. I saw smoke. It was fresh smoke, like a battle had just taken place or was still going on."

"It was the Masters' wing, where all important meetings and deliberations took place. I had been there quite a few times when the Masters needed to pass judgement on my many less than illustrious trouble-making activities."

"My pulse quickened and I increased my pace when I walked to that site. The last place I saw my mother was when she was walking to the Masters' wing. I had no hope for the other seventeen Elementals, my friends, that I had trained with, but my mother and the Masters might have had survived Slade."

"I found my mother in the Masters' inner sanctum, the most sacred place. The inner sanctum was a library, albeit a library with a grand purpose. It was a place of great importance, where all the knowledge of the Plane we salvaged was stored."

"My heart caught at the sight of it being destroyed. My mother was still there. Instead of running to safety, my mother had tried to salvage what knowledge of the Plane we had. Slade had found her there and attacked her."

"She was still trying to fight him off, and I had never seen her fight so well. She saw me and told me to run, to forget her and run. She threw boulders at him, built walls of dirt to fend off his attacks, and he laughed in her face. She was trying desperately to hold him off, to keep him from getting to me."

"Atalanta appeared; she had walked in from somewhere else, probably making sure everyone was dead. She had a strange weapon with her, a type of gun. Tiny, but extremely effective; it was one of Slade's creations. She had-" she stopped, for just a moment. "-she had it pointed at my mother, but she didn't shoot. My mother was confused; she didn't understand at first. Why would the girl she had treated as a daughter point a gun at her? I had thought, hoped, that Atalanta would think, and put the gun down, or better, point it at Slade, the one who deserved such a thing."

"And did she?" Starfire asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"No," was Artemis' whispered reply. "She pulled the trigger, and- shot my mother in the stomach, point blank. And then they ran, both of them, master and apprentice. I didn't run after them; I stayed with my mother. I actually believed that there was something I could do to help her."

"I ran to my mother as quickly as my injuries could allow. I could tell no amount of healing I could do could save her. I merely had to watch helplessly as the wound took it's toll on her. She was holding something, something in her arms. It was a box- a plain, normal looking box. She said the box and what was in it was more important than anything else in the Sanctum. She said it was the intimate knowledge of the evil that had ravaged the Plane. She said on my sixteenth birthday, I was to open the box, because only then, would I be old enough to embrace the responsibility. I still have that box. It's sits on a shelf in my bedroom, biding it's time. I don't have long before I turn sixteen. I guess I'll find out what lies within it then. But, I am turning away from our conversation."

"My mother told me to take the box. She also asked me to find my sister. 'Like the Air hangs over the Earth, it was my duty to protect her' she said. I of course agreed. She took my hand in hers and told me to take care of myself. She said the Masters were dead, so I and my sister were the final hope for the Elementals. She told me how proud she was to be my mother, for she could see the great destiny woven for my future. She told me to keep friends close, for I would need them in the future."

"And she told me to be happy. Her very last words were of love for my sister and I, and that she could finally see Father once more. Then my mother, protector and teacher, died." Artemis paused and took a long swig from her mug. "I swore revenge that day. I swore to fight Slade, always, until his dying breath escaped him. And if I caused that dying breath, then the more power to me. I also swore Atalanta would pay for betraying her people, and killing my mother."

"Have you 'made her pay'?" Starfire asked.

"Um, no. I haven't found her yet." I just got this person to trust me. I don't want her to know I'm a murderer.

"I spent the time afterward following Slade on his erratic trip throughout the globe. I've been to Beijing, Cairo, everywhere, but he eludes me. Then I received an anonymous tip saying he has operated near here. Which is why I'm here in Jump City. I've only been here a couple of weeks, and before what happened, I was starting to enjoy myself here."

Starfire got up and crushed Artemis in one of her infamous 'death hugs'. "Do not be afraid, friend. You may live with the Titans while we figure out a plan to stop the most evil man that is Slade."

"Star you're kind of, um, crushing me."

Starfire let go immediately. Artemis gasped and downed all of her tea in one gulp. After a few seconds, her face returned to it's normal hue.

"My apologies friend,"Starfire said.

"It's quite alright," said Artemis. "Now, I've been talking your ear off for the past half hour. What can you tell me about yourself?"

Artemis listened closely as Starfire began to tell what seemed to be her life story. She listened as she described her life on Tamaran. Artemis could only look on in awe. Her parents are dead, her sister is her worst enemy, and she was sold into slavery to boot! It's amazing that she still retains such a positive outlook on life.

Artemis loved her stories about life with the Titans. She also enjoyed teasing Starfire mercilessly when she heard what happened to Starfire and Robin on a desolate planet. They traded stories throughout the night. After they were finished, they were both laughing and wiping tears of mirth from their eyes. Artemis took the break to glance at the clock on the wall. "Oh crap, it's almost midnight!" she exclaimed. We've been talking for three and a half hours! It was rather.. nice. I haven't talked to anyone in a while. "Do you want to overnight here, Starfire? I could pack tomorrow, and I could drive you back to the Titans. The couch folds out. I could sleep there, and you could sleep in my room. Your friends wouldn't freak out or anything, right?"

Starfire thought about it carefully, trying to ignore what she imagined Robin's reaction would be. This girl seemed nice, and she did wish to spend more time with her... "I think that they know by now that I can care for myself, Artemis. Besides, it is only one night. So staying here would be satisfactory, friend." Starfire was having a great deal of fun. Artemis was a very pleasant person to talk to. She almost seemed to remind her of someone, but Starfire could not tell who. Something else was also troubling her. Artemis had been rather closemouthed about her sister, referring to her only as "sister" and "her". She was unsure as to whether or not her sister had had a name, or if Artemis just didn't want to say it out loud. Well, there is no harm in just asking, I suppose. "I have something else to ask you, Artemis: What is your sister's name? I did not hear you mention it at all during your narrative."

Artemis looked saddened when the sensitive topic of her past came into light again. Starfire looked concerned. "I was merely asking, I did not wish you to-"

Artemis interrupted her with her hand. "It's alright. I see no reason for you not to know." Starfire almost seemed to know what she was about to hear before she heard it. It all made sense, from Artemis' description of her and why Artemis seemed so familiar. Then Artemis said the words Starfire almost wished she had never heard.

"My sister's birth name was Tara Aurora Avani, but the world knows her now as Terra Markov."

I believe that people of this planet have a phrase when something like this occurs. What is it again? Ah, yes. "Oh, crap."

END

Author's Note: Hee-hee, cliffie! Was this chapter long enough, Chaltab:) Might be about a week for another chappie. Also another series will pop up soon, Of Love and Betrayal. That is dedicated to my friend Erica. She's been bugging me about writing an 'Artemis' flashback story, so I went ahead and wrote it. Well, at least I started to. Can't promise much though, sorry Eri. By now you know the drill, I get reviews, you get cookies by mail, and the world keeps spinning. : )

Artemis out.

Further Author's Notes: I know I didn't mention Artemis wearing her armbands or having them in her pack last chapter. I was really tired, and I didn't realize my mistake until the chapter was submitted. I went ahead and fixed it though.

Now I can leave. Bye!