I AM NOW TAKEING REQUESTS FOR ONE-SHOTS FOR RobxStar AND/OR RAExBB! PM ME if you have any ideas you would like to share! -xxGUSHINESSxx
Thick gray clouds were beginning to form by the time I brought the painted R-Cycle from the garage to the roof of the tower. I hoped it would snow, but that seemed unlikely in the area we were in. Perhaps there would be snow in Gotham.
Cyborg let out a long whistle and Robin tugged at his collar in an uncomfortable state once they noticed my new attire. Beast Boy's eyes widened as he suddenly noticed as well, even though he had been conversing with me for the past several minutes. I crinkled my eyebrows in worry at Raven's annoyed expression.
I cleared my throat loudly when no one had said anything after a few moments. Robin shook his head quickly and coughed, regaining his normally aloof composure. He faced the other Titans, one hand on his motorcycle. His clothes consisted of blue jeans, sneakers, and a white button-up shirt. His hair was not as spiky as usual. He still had his mask upon his face.
"Robin! You look…"
"Weird?" he guessed.
I scratched my neck and grinned. "I was going to say different, it suits you."
He smiled sheepishly before facing the others.
"I've contacted Kole and Gnarrk for back-up since you'll be missing two members of the team," Robin explained. "They should be here shortly. In the meantime, while I'm gone, Cyborg, you're in charge."
"Boo-yah!" he exclaimed.
"Aw man!" Beast Boy complained.
"Don't leave me with them," Raven said, her eyes showing a brief moment of desperation before returning to normal.
Robin smirked then patted her shoulder in farewell. I hugged her tightly.
"Farewell Raven, I shall see you soon," I promised. When I drew away from her she looked at me strangely for a moment before looking away.
I hugged Beast Boy and then Cyborg. His arms seemed to linger on me a moment longer and I heard Robin clear his throat loudly. As I turned back toward him I noticed he was already on his motorcycle and his face was red again. I waved to my friends one last time before climbing onto the back of the R-Cycle, placing my hands on Robin's back. He handed me a helmet before placing his own on.
Raven's circle of power slipped underneath us and started to levitate, lifting us over the blue waters of our home, away from Jump City.
"Good-bye friends! I hope you have a jolly holly Christmas!" I called smiling, as they waved back.
The circle carried us to the edge of the waters before placing us down in an area filled with thick pine trees. Robin revved the vehicle and we were zooming down an unknown path. Dark green blurs flew by us as we drifted through the endless forest. The strong smell of pine filled my senses and I shook my head to clear it.
Robin said we could have taken a plane to Gotham, but this way we would not have to worry about other people around us until we actually arrived there. I did not question this logic knowing it was probably for the best. After about an hour's worth of strong pine scents and eerie silence I decided to initiate conversation.
"Robin, if it is alright with you, I wish to learn more about the merry Christmas," I spoke casually, leaning forward so he could hear me better. "Would it bother you if you were to share your knowledge on this holiday?"
I thought I heard him chuckle. "No, of course it wouldn't bother me. What do you want to know?"
"Everything," I answered, my eyes glowing in wonder. He chuckled again and began to share.
He told me wondrous things. He spoke of the beautiful colors and decorations that humans hung up when Christmas was approaching. He told of the hanging of ornaments on the Christmas tree, which looked similar to the ones we were passing now. He mentioned the glorious smells of the gingerbread cookies that people baked, and of the warm, creamy, chocolaty drink known as hot cocoa. He explained how human children hung up stockings and left out cookies for a jolly fat man who slipped down the chimney of fire and left them presents under the tree. He also spoke of the man whose skin was made of ice, that children believed he was the one who left frost everywhere when it was cold. His name was Jack Frost. He described the tinkling sound of silver bells as carolers sang Christmas themes songs. He spoke of the red holly berries, and tinsel, and the smell of the fire on Christmas Eve. He said it was a time for family and friends, to laugh and exchange memories.
He also mentioned mistletoe. He told me that some people hung it in their homes and when two people were caught under it, it was custom to share a kiss.
I thought how romantic that must be; sitting with someone you love, close to the warm fire, sharing the cookies of ginger and bread. Then when the fire died down to a whisper, you would hold your loved one close and kiss them on the lips.
On Tamaran, the closest thing we had to Christmas was the holiday of friendship, Blorthog. Somehow, Christmas sounded much more enjoyable.
"Have you ever kissed anyone underneath the mistletoe?" I asked curiously, after a blissful silence had settled between us. I loosened my arms around him, unaware that I had been holding him so tightly.
His body stiffened slightly beneath my arms. "Um…no. Not a lot of people have. It's just something silly that couples do."
"Oh," I mumbled. I was relieved that he had never performed the rituals of mistletoe but his response crushed my secret hope that it would happen to us. Beat Boy had hung up a few cloves of the romantic decoration over doorways and I believed he hoped Raven would be caught under it with him. The thought gave me the warm fuzzies and happiness for my friends.
It was silent after that. The sun slowly slid lower in the now orange and pink tinged sky. I yawned and my eyelids began to droop. I shook myself awake. I would not let Robin stay up by himself. It would not be fair. However I was so very sleepy and I was warm and comfortable pressed up against his back. I carefully laid my head between his shoulder blades. I thought I could hear the steady drumming of his heartbeat, but that may have possible been the terrain we were riding on. We had long since seen the last of the pine trees and we were currently on stiff, orange desert, where you could see for miles in every direction possible.
My eyes fluttered shut for a moment before I snapped them open again. I had to stay awake. Robin was counting on me. I had to stay…
X'hal, I fell asleep. I knew this because I was no longer in the orange desert and Robin was not by my side. I did not know where I was. Pine trees surrounded me, and then sloped downward into a steep cliff. Sitting rocks were perched along the edge, making a convenient place to rest.
I glanced up at the nighttime sky. The moon hang low in the form of a waning crescent. Thousands of stars glittered up above and I was amazed to see so many. They resembled fanorbla flies from my home world.
I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of the night. I could hear the chirping of the crickets, and the gurgling of a possible stream. I listened to the unmistakable sound of the bull frog, and the whispers of the wind that carried it all to my ears. I heard something else. It was quite and muffled, but I knew it was nearby. I cocked my head to the side to get a better listen. It sounded sad and heartbroken. It sounded like mourning. I realized with a jolt of dread that the noises were sobs.
I flew forward, following the crying sounds, listening and wondering who could be making such a noise. I placed my hands on a pine tree near the edge of the cliff and peered from behind it. I could make out the form of a small silhouette, slumped on one of the sitting rocks. It was male, I could tell from the sobs. Then it hit me.
I was in one of Robin's memories again. I would not be able to see something so clearly and distinctively. How could I have entered Robin's mind if I had not summoned Raven? Perhaps when I entered a memory last time, I took some of the bond Raven had shared with Robin. I do not see how that could be possible, but it was likely. However, just like before, Robin was nowhere to be seen.
I flew over to the silhouette cautiously, for I did not want to frighten him. I landed a few yards away and stared at the weeping figure. From up close I could tell it was a small boy. He wiped his eyes and sniffed. Why was he so sad? It broke my heart to see someone suffering like this. I let out a breath that I did not realize I had been holding.
The head of the boy snapped up in alarm. I stood up quickly.
"Who's there?" he asked, making his voice sound like he wasn't afraid.
"Do not worry, I do not wish to harm you," I assured the boy.
He paused cocking his head to the side. "Kori?" he asked softly.
I gasped. I knew that voice. I walked over to the little Dick Grayson and sat by his side. "Yes, it is I, Dick. What are you doing so far out here?"
Now that I was this close to him, I recognized his startling blue eyes. He turned away, wiping his eyes furiously, so I would not see he had been crying.
"I'm not too far away," he told me. "Honest. Mr. Wayne's mansion is over there." He pointed in back of us, sniffling again. "What…what are you doing here?"
"I am looking for someone."
"You were looking for someone last time I saw you. Who is it?" he questioned.
"No one that you know," I explained.
"Tell me."
I smiled at his persistent nature. It reminded me of the very person I was trying to find. "His name is Robin."
Dick turned away and wiped his eyes again. "That's what my mother always called me," he murmured so quietly I had not sure he had even said it.
I frowned. "Dick, I do not understand. Are you alright? Where are your parents?"
He sniffled again, and when he replied, his voice was so small. "I'm alright. Really."
This did not reassure me. I reached a hand toward his face, and turned it to look at mine. He did not turn away again. He also did not bother to dry the stream of tears from his face as he looked at me.
"You are not alright," I said.
The tears steamed faster down his face. "They're gone Kori. And…and…I miss them."
His breathing was uneven and he shut his eyes. I felt my heart being ripped into two pieces. I wiped the tears from his eyes and he opened them. And I was blessed with their magnificent color.
"Oh Dick," I whispered. "I am so sorry."
We sat in silence for a long time. We just sat under the many stars, staring at each other. Each time he blinked fresh tears would drip down his cheeks and each time they did I would wipe them away. I was surprised and disturbed that humans could release so much water.
Finally he dropped our gaze to look at the stars. My hands left his face and I glanced up with him.
"It isn't fair," he whispered, more to himself than to me.
"No, it is most certainly not fair," I said quietly.
He looked at me. "How would you know?" He was not trying to be hurtful, his tone was merely curious.
"I have never told anyone this," I began. "But many years ago I had a brother. My sister and I loved him. Well…I loved him enough for the both of us. Then, things became complicated. A great war struck out and we were losing."
"In Tokyo?" he asked confused.
I smiled. "Not quite."
He gave me a knowing glance and did not question me further.
"To save my younger brother, they sent him far away. I never saw him again and he was believed to have been killed." My eyes became moist as I remembered. "My older sister had become allies with our opponents and sold me over to them. My parents fell ill with despair for their children, and fell soon after that. I escaped and…came to the America."
It was so hard to explain to him. He could not know I was from a different planet and I believe he was smart enough to notice the gaps in my story. However he did not question anything, realizing I did not wish to speak any more about it.
He placed his chin on his knees. "I'm sorry."
I sniffed. "It is the o and the k. Perhaps we are quite similar in a way."
There was silence for a long time. "Thank you," he said.
I smiled, through the tears that began to drip down my face. "Of course. A friend should not be alone in the time of the needs." I thought I saw him smile, as a few more tears leaked from his eyes.
He took my hand in his and I gave it a squeeze. We watched the stars until they faded. One by one. My eyes fluttered shut.
~0~0~0~
When I awoke the orange desert was gone. A thin layer of snow blanketed the ground. We were riding up a rather steep hill and I heard Robin yawn. The sky was a brilliant red as the sun was almost finished with the setting. I lifted my face of his back and stretched, feeling some of my joints crack.
"You awake yet?" Robin asked.
I felt rather guilty. "I am sorry. I should not have fallen asleep while you were up."
"It's okay, it wasn't that bad," he assured me. "We're almost there anyway."
As we sped up the hill and sailed over the top of it, a magnificent city came into view. Tall, dark, looming, buildings towered over us as we entered the city. I had never seen anything like it, and I suddenly understood why there was so much trouble here. It was very dark and ominous.
We passed a few people as we zoomed down the roads of Gotham. I waved hesitantly at them, but they shrank back into the shadows. One man made an obscene gesture when I waved and I decided to stop. I held onto Robin tighter.
We wound down several roads and came to a stop at a red light. Robin glanced down a road to the right and I followed his gaze. In the distance loomed a tremendous iron gate, surrounding a rather large house. The house had many windows and appeared to be very expensive. If I looked closer I noticed the name Wayne was spelled out along the top of the gate. This name sounded familiar but I could not place my thumbnail on it.
The light turned green and I glanced at Robin curiously when he did not go. His eyes were focused on the house. His expression was strange. It was almost as if he was sad…longing I believe the word was.
I cleared my throat. "Um, Robin?" I prodded him as I spoke softly. "I believe the light has changed."
He shook his head, regaining the bearing and glanced angrily behind us when a car honked the horn. He revved up his bike and then continued on the road.
As we drove past more buildings, I could not help but notice the posters that had been hung up. Some of the appeared to be damaged by water, as if they had been there a long time and no one had bothered to remove them. I alternated my head right and left catching glimpses of the signs. When we got particularly close to one I spotted the word 'circus' scrawled upon it. I watched Robin to see if he had seen the posters but he was too focused on our journey.
As we stopped at another red light a particularly damaged and torn poster caught the attention of my eye. It was hard to make out because of the shredded and tattered condition it was in, but the people on the poster stood out to me. There were three of them, a man a women, and a small boy. I stared at the boy, studying his cartoon drawn face. Checking the eyes for the familiar color. My hand subconsciously reached out as if to caress his face.
I was about to say something to Robin but the sudden jerking of the bike starting up again distracted me. We drove for a little longer until we came upon what must be the Gotham Park. Robin drove through it; looking around for the man the Batman had called Alfred.
As I took in our surroundings I noticed that few people were here. I could not say I could blame the absence. It did not look inviting at all. The water around the park was a dark, murky color and smelt funny. The ground was mossy and the path we traveled on had several bumps and holes in it. Not to mention the ominous graveyard situated next to the park itself. I gulped at this, unsure if I would want to stay here.
I heard Robin sigh in relief and I gazed up ahead to find an elegant and kind faced man standing beside a tree. He smiled at us in recognition and I was sure this was Alfred. Robin hit the brakes steadily on the R-Cycle until he was only a few feet from Alfred.
"Alfred, it's good to see you," he nodded, removing his helmet.
Alfred returned his nod. "It is rather good to see you as well, Master D-" Robin must have given him a warning glance because he stopped and nodded, glancing at me. "I suppose I shall just refer to you as Master Robin then?"
"Rob, wouldn't hurt," Robin said looking around to make sure no one was watching or listening.
Alfred nodded once more. "Very well, I shall take you resting quarters." He looked around, possibly for the same reasons Robin had and twisted a branch of the tree he was standing beside. Suddenly the ground lowered beneath my own feet, and I suppressed a gasp, as we were lowered into what must have been a Batcave.
