DISCLAIMER - I DO NOT OWN TEEN TITANS OR THE THEME SONG, SO PLEASE DO NOT SUE!
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"SCARS" - AN OLD ENEMY OF THE TITANS TO HUNTS FOR STARFIRE
"SCARS"
It had been a few weeks since the fight between the Titans and the Gordanians. Nothing much had happened since then, but the team was still sharp and aware as ever. It was a quiet and late cold night, with the heater being broken because of a certain changeling. Starfire and Robin, who were near the fire place, stayed in each other's company as the fire kept them warm. Robin, however, sat too close to the blazing flame as he suddenly felt his arm scorching.
"Owwww!"
"Oh dear, Robin! Are you alright?" Starfire asked in concern.
"It's ok, Star. The fire was a kind of hot, but it didn't burn me." Robin assured his girlfriend, showing her his arm as proof.
"Still, you are undamaged?"
"Yeah, I'm okay."
Starfire sighed in relief. She turned her head to look back at the flames. "You must be careful around the fire, Robin. Unfortunately, all it is capable of is destroying everything in its path."
Robin looked at Starfire in a confused manner, "Star, what do you mea-"
His statement came to a stop at the sound of complaints.
"DUDE..." A sleepy and disheveled Beastboy complained as he walked into the common room with Raven and Cyborg. "I've been freezing my butt of all night! I can't sleep in this cold, and I need my beauty sleep..."
Raven gave him a look. "Trust me, he really does need it."
"See, Raven agrees with m-" It took Beastboy a while to realize what she meant. "HEY."
"If you didn't break the heater in the first place Grass Stain, we wouldn't be so cold!" Cyborg glared at the changeling.
"It was an accident!" Beastboy yelled, deflating. "And besides, it's so boring around here. Why hasn't anything happened!?"
"Do'nt jinx us grass stain!" Cyborg yelled back.
"Dude, what wierdo does anything in the middle of the night?"
The crime alert range throughout the tower. Everyone glared at Beastboy, who sheepishly laughed.
"Heh heh, oops."
"Why do you ever think that opening your mouth is a good idea?" Raven asked him.
Beastboy gave her a look and was about to reply before Cyborg interrupted him. "There's been a disturbance a at Jump City Labs in the south side of town."
"Do you know who's causing it?" asked Robin.
"Sorry man, can't get a read on them."
Robin made a fist and punched his hand. "All right, you all know the drill."
The titans all ran towards the door. Starfire turned around and looked at the fireplace. The fire was extinguished, but the heat and the ashes it left behind was still lingering.
"Starfire." Raven called after her. "We need to go."
Starfire gave the fireplace one last look before flying out the door with Raven.
TT
The mistress had a cold look in her eyes as she looked at the monitor of the Gordanians ship. She was speaking with the man from earth.
"We have come to an agreement, then. I bring you the girl, and you do the rest."
"Exactly." The mistress' eyes glinted in the darkness of space. "I want her alive. Can you do it?"
The man didn't have to say anything. He and the mistress both knew the answer.
TT
When there's trouble, you know who to call
Teen Titans
From their tower, they can see it all
Teen Titans!
When there's evil on the attack,
You can rest knowing they got your back
'cause when the world needs heroes on patrol
Teen Titans GO!
With their superpowers they unite
Teen Titans!
Never met a villain that they liked
Teen Titans!
They've got the bad guys on the run
They never stop 'till the job is done
'cause when the world is losin' all control
Teen Titans GO!
One, two, three, four, GO!
Teen Titans!
TT
The Titans quietly walked through the labs, trying to find their bad guy. So far, they had no luck.
Robin turned around and spoke to his team. "All right, we don't know who we're dealing with or what they're planning, so stay alert."
The others nodded and continued to walk. Beastboy was behind the others, acting with nonchalance confidence.
"Dude, I can't wait to find out who were fighting." Beastboy demonstrated some cheesy Kung fu moves. "Once they take a look at Beast-Man, they'll be running for the hills!"
"Is that so?" A voice asked from above.
The Titans looked up to see who was speaking to them. When they saw who it was they immediately tensed up and went into battle stance.
"Slade." Robin glared at the man above.
"Well Robin." Slade said, mocking the boy wonder. "It's been a while, hasn't it."
"We would have done just fine without seeing you." Cyborg added.
"You have a lot of nerve showing your face." Raven snarled at him.
"Raven, and here I thought we'd bonded during our last gathering."
They all gave Slade a look of pure disgust.
"Enjoy your freedom while it lasts!" Robin curtly told Slade. "Because I'm gonna take you out!"
"Robin, that's truly inspiring. But, once again, I didn't come back for you." Slade noticed Beastboy standing protectively in front of Raven. "Or her."
"Then why are you even here?" Beastboy rudely asked.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Robin brought out his staff and went into a battle stance. "TITANS GO!"
The others got their powers ready and charged in as Slade jumped down, ready to attack as well. He brought out a strange looking disk from his belt.
He threw the disk at Starfire. Starfire saw it zooming towards her, but wasn't quick enough to avoid it. It landed on her, trapping her in a net and electrifying her. Slade then threw multiple devices at the rest of the titans, each one worse than the last.
'Dude!" Beastboy exclaimed. "When did Slade get new toys?"
"Yeah!" Cyborg chimed in. "I've never seen earth tech like that!"
"I don't know how he got them, but we can't let that stop us." Robin yelled as he charged at Slade.
Robin ran in, dodging everything Slade threw at him. The boy wonder used his staff to grab Slade's belt. He landed on the ground with the belt in hand.
"Well done Robin." Slade said in a mocking tone. "But did you really think it would be that easy?"
"What?" Robin asked confused.
Slade had a lot more tricks up his sleeve. He brought out a staff with electricity sparking on it, twirling it in his hands. Slade struck Robin with the staff, causing the boy wonder to collapse.
"Uh, dude..." Beastboy whispered.
"This isn't good." Raven finished for him.
Slade ran in, attacking Raven and Beastboy first. He punched Beastboy, knocking him down. The changeling got up and turned into a gorilla. He swung his arms at Slade to try and knock the masked villain away, but instead got hit with the electricity staff, making him revert to human and knocking him out completely.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
Raven picked up two nearby crates with her magic and threw them at Slade. The crates hit Slade, causing him to slide across the floor. He quickly recovered and charged at her. As he did this he brought out a strange silver rope with alien markings on it. Slade threw the rope at Raven and it wrapped itself around her. Raven tried to use her powers to get out of the rope, but found that it disabled her powers. Slade took out a red button from his pocket and pressed it. As he did so the rope electrocuted Raven, making her collapse on the spot.
Cyborg aimed his arm cannon at Slade and shot a beam of energy. Slade, seeing this attack from a mile away, dodged the energy beam with ease. Slade ran up to the cybernetic teen with a strange gadget in hand. Cyborg shot multiple beams of energy at Slade, causing a cloud of smoke to form.
"Booyah!" Cyborg exclaimed, thinking he had been victorious.
"Nice shot." Cyborg looked dumbfounded at the masked criminal, now behind him. "Now, it's my turn."
Slade placed a gadget on Cyborg's back. It began to spark with electricity.
"He's draining... my... power cell."
Cyborg fell to the ground as the blue parts of him turned gray and his red eye flashed out.
Slade walked towards the three titans, aiming a laser at them, when suddenly a kick knocked the blast away. Slade turned his head and saw Robin twirling his staff.
"You're going down, Slade."
"Robin, why don't we continue where we left off."
Robin rushed towards Slade and kicked him in the chest, forcing him to fall back up into a strange corridor. Slade got up and used the shadows to his advantage. This caused Robin to lose sight of him. Robin walked through the corridor, trying to find Slade. He walked with caution and ease, bird-a-rangs in hand. Slade watched him from one of the shadows. He waited for a few more seconds, then charged at Robin. Robin turned around and threw his bird-a-rangs, but Slade deflected them all with his staff.
Slade ran in and tried to punch Robin, but the boy wonder dodged in the nick of time. They both hit and deflected using their staffs.
"Oh Robin." Slade said as he was gaining the upper hand. "Don't tell me we're getting sloppy."
Robin, in a fit of anger, tried to flip and land on top of Slade, but the villain was just to fast. He grabbed Robin's arms and pinned down the young hero. Slade then used the staff to electrocute Robin. The boy wonder yelled in pain before he collapsed.
"Well, this has been interesting." Slade looked around until his eyes landed on an unconscious Starfire. "But I have some business I need to attend to."
TT
Starfire lightly groaned as she regained consciousness, her head feeling as if it were hit by a spaceship. Suddenly, Starfire noticed her uniform felt quite strange for some reason. Looking down, she immediately noticed she was wearing something she never wanted to wear again. She was wearing a uniform that looked exactly like the one she wore when she first landed on earth, minus the M-Shaped headpiece.
"Dear Xhal..." Starfire quietly said to herself.
Looking around, she noticed that her friends weren't anywhere near her.
"My friends, where are you?"
"Don't worry about them. They'll be fine." Star turned and saw Slade walking towards her. "You should be worried about yourself."
Anger overtook Starfire as her eyes and hands glowed green. Starfire flew with great speed and tried to strike him, but as soon as she got close enough Slade took hold of the metal arm band that was located on her upper left arm. The impact halted Starfire's flight and Slade threw her across the room, making her collide with a wall. Starfire recovered from the impact and stood up, but then immediately covered her upper left arm soon after. Slade held the metal arm band and tossed it aside.
"There is no use trying to hide it." Every step Slade took forward Starfire stepped back.
Slade pulled out a peice of paper and a lighter. He lit the paper on fire and dropped it in front of Starfire. "I know who, or rather what, you really are."
Knowing the symbolism behind the action, Starfire widened her eyes and desperately needed to get away.
"NO!" Star angrily shot her eyebeams at Slade, who casually dodged them with ease.
Slade let out a menacing laugh. "Is that the best you can do? I knew you were weak, but I expected more."
Starfire charged up her starbolts. She let out a battle cry as she stormed towards Slade, knocking him down as she did so. The alien grabbed her arm band, put it on, and flew to another area of the warehouse. Slade recovered from her attack and watched as she flew away.
"Does she really think she can hide any longer?"
TT
Starfire flew as fast as she could, not even stopping to catch her breath. She had to get back to her friends. Starfire continued flying until she reached the top of the warehouse. Once she landed she tried to find a way out, but no such luck.
"I would find escaping impossible."
Slade's voice echoed in her head as she continued searching, desperate to get away. Starfire searched every nook and cranny, but found Slade's words to be true. Escaping was impossible.
"I hope you take the time to appreciate it." Slade stepped out of the shadows. "I made sure to prepare for our little 'meeting'."
Starfire mustered up as much courage as she could. "Why are you doing this?"
"Well, if I'm being honest, I just enjoy sources of chaos."
Starfire, speechless, backed away from him. Slade walked towards her.
"You didn't think you could hide it forever, did you?" Slade cornered her.
Starfire stayed silent, she didn't know what to say.
"You told everyone when you started this crusade it was about doing what's right. That was a lie. This charade is to hide what you never wanted."
"You are wrong!" Starfire defended herself.
Slade ignored her. "You led everyone around you to believe you to be an innocent little girl, someone tame who could never hurt a fly. You did it so they could never find out the truth about you."
"You do not know anything about me!" Starfire yelled with as much courage as she could.
"On the contrary Starfire, I now know everything about you." Slade began to walk around her in circle. "I know about your past, your powers, your fears and troubles, all of it."
Slade paused in front of her, "I even know about the experiments, and the fire."
Starfire gasped, shocked at Slade revealed knowledge about her. "No..."
"Yes. I know all about it. The power you reserve, and the weapon you are."
"NO!" Starfire threw a starbolt at Slade, but the masked villain simply dodged the attack with ease and allowed it to hit some cloaked furniture behind him.
Starfire's hands glew once more, ready to attack the villain again, but Slade just pointed at the furniture her starbolt accidentally hit.
"So eager to attck again. Look at the damage you've already done."
Confused, Starfire looked in the direction Slade pointed at and gasped in horror. The cloaked furniture was burning in green flames. The fire grew massive and spread fast to surrounding objects.
"N-no..." Starfire's eyes filled with tears as she ran to the fire she created, "I-I must extinguish the flames. There may be a chance to save everything."
Slade shook his head at her. "Don't you see? The fire you created has already spread so fast and left nothing but destruction in its wake."
The green flames lit up Slade's mask as he took it all in. "This is the product of all your experimentation. As a weapon, this is what you leave behind. You know that wherever you ate, wherever you stand, you leave nothing but misery and destruction in your wake."
"No..." Starfire vigorously shook her head as she watched her green flames grow and spread around her, more violently than before. "No, no, no, no, no! That is not true! It is not..."
"Isn't it? Look at what you have already done with only one of your starbolts! Look at the destruction you have caused!" Slade grabbed Starfire's shoulder at forced her to look.
"No!" Starfire ripped herself from his grasp and turned away from the fire. "That is not true! None of it is true! I use my abilities to help the innocent, to protect my home with my friends. I am not a weapon! I am a Titan!"
"If that is true, then why did you never tell them the truth?" Starfire grew speechless at Slade's remark. "Why did you never release your full power? Why do you choose to run away when you know you have what it takes to defeat your enemy?"
Starfire continued to stay silent as Slade circled around her and continued to talk.
"You know they would turn against you the moment they find out. I, however, find it quite beautiful the chaos you bring. The destruction, the burning, the agaony of others in the flames, it's all simply marvelous. The burns and lies you create make you more dangerous that anything I've ever seen."
"I..." Starfire looked down at her hands, her own tears falling into them. "I can not help the fire. It is a part of me..."
"Such a shame. You could have become something great, something powerful, yet here you are, afraid to channel the fire already inside you."
Slade stopped circling and glared at her with his one eye. "Perhaps I should tell the Titans everything."
Starfire stopped as well and lit up her eyes. "NO!"
Starfire rushed and tried to punch him with a starbolt lit fist. However, Slade grabbed her arm and pinned it behind her back. The young heroine cried out in pain as Slade kicked her side. She tried to escape from his grip, but Slade was surprisingly too strong. Slade allowed Starfire to get up, but did not allow her to recover, for he struck her back with the staff, forcing her to tumble across the room.
Because of the impact Starfire's clothes were lightly ripped, but she didn't care at the moment. Starfire lit up her starbolts, but Slade struck her cheek before she could use them. Slade calmly walked over to her and placed the tip of his staff on her chest. Starfire screamed in pain as she felt the electricity within her. Lines of green energy coursed throughout her body.
Once she looked weak enough Slade grabbed her by her arm and once again pinned it behind her back, this time not allowing her to recover at all.
"Fascinating isn't it? You spend so long trying to hide this part of yourself, and I found it in seconds."
Starfire couldn't believe is. This could not be happening, it just could not.
"You will never be a real hero and you will never be a real Titan. You are an experiment. A weapon. Made to burn and bring destruction to everything in your path. However, this time you will not have the chance to run away."
Starfire didn't defend herself. Every word Slade said was true. There was no use denying it anymore. She was a weapon, a fire, no matter how much she tried to hide it. The fire will keep on burning inside, no matter how hard she tried to extinguish it. She will always run away from the mess she created, for she did not want to make things worse. The heat and ashes she leave behind will always be there.
The world around Starfire began to blur. She tried to summon a starbolt, but couldn't. Starfire collapsed, her exhaustion finally taking a toll on her.
Slade looked down at the alien, for it seemed as if all the fight had left her. Slade smirked under his masked and calmly walked up to her, a knife in his hand.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Two explosive bird-a-rangs hit Slade, halting his actions.
Slade looked up to see Robin and the rest of the Teen Titans standing protectively in front of Starfire. The masked villain recovered from this attack and charged at them. Cyborg, Raven, and Beastboy ran up to attack as well. Robin looked Starfire over, wanting to make sure she wasn't badly hurt.
Cyborg, Raven, and Beastboy attacked Slade with all their might, but found he was either too fast, too strong, or well prepared. It didn't take long for Slade to subdue them.
"Don't tell me that's the best you can do."
Slade pulled out his staff and was about to strike before a bird-a-rang stopped him. Robin stood nearby, panting with anger.
"Robin, what a surprise."
Robin gave out a loud battle cry and charged at Slade. Unfortunately, Slade quickly gained the upper hand, and Robin too was subdued. Slade was about to strike him, but a starbolt stopped him from doing so. Starfire fired more and more starbolts, not giving Slade any mercy, and soon Slade was knocked down. Starfire ran over to her friends and freed them. Slade, seeing that he was outnumbered, ran.
"You can't hide it forever." Slade called out as he ran. "Soon enough, they will all find out. The destruction you leave is imminent, and you will complete the bigger plan."
As the Titans ran after him, Slade pulled out a trigger. He pressed a large red button, causing a faint blue force field to come between them.
"Don't worry Titans." Smoke began to surround Slade. "I'll be back."
When the smoke cleared Slade was gone.
"Are you ok?" Robin asked Starfire.
"Truthfully..." Starfire covered her arm. "I do not know."
TT
The Titans were back at Titans Tower, discussing about what had happened. Starfire sat down with her knees to her chest. She had changed back into her regular uniform.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Cyborg asked, concerned over his friend's well being.
"I shall manage." Starfire replied in a quiet voice.
None of the others said anything for a while. The silence was broken by Beastboy.
"So, um.. What was Slade talking about back there?" Raven hit the back of his head. "OW! HEY!"
Robin ignored them. "Star, is there something you need to tell us?"
Starfire pulled her knees closer to her chest. This was her chance. Her chance to tell them about what the Gordanians did to her. Her chance to explain why Slade was after her. Her chance to talk about her powers and the pain hidden behind them. Her chance to finally tell them the truth.
She didn't take that chance.
"No." Starfire said in a soft voice. "I do not know why Slade is doing this."
If Starfire told them why everyone was after her, then she would have to tell them what she was and reveal the truth about everything. If she had done that, then they certainly would go against her.
The Titans stayed silent for a moment, not knowing what to say. Out of nowhere, Robin stood up and walked toward the center of the room.
"All right team, listen up." Robin had a look of determination on his face. "Slade seems to be targeting Starfire for some reason, so it's in our best interest to keep her safe at all costs."
"Robin..."
"Robin's right Star." Cyborg spoke up. "We're not letting him get to you."
"We'll find out why Slade has targeted you." Raven said as well.
"Yeah!" Beastboy chimed in happily. "If he wants to get to you, he'll have to get through us first!"
"But-"
"Star, do you remember what you said earlier? About fire only bringing destruction?" Starfire nodded lightly. "I have to say I disagree with you. Yeah fire can sometimes hurt others, but it can also bring hope and warmth, lighting the way when we need it. Let us do that for you."
Starfire put on a fake smile for her friends. Once they turned around, she allowed her smile to become a look of worry. Of course Starfire had faith and trusted her friends, she didn't have a reason not to. However, something inside Star told her the fire she brought was not finished spreading. That the worst was yet to come.
TT
"The plan is going perfectly." Slade told the mistress. "They do not suspect a thing."
The mistress had her hands folded behind her back as she spoke with Slade. "I see. Thank you for your cooperation. The plan is almost in motion. Soon, the inevitable destruction she brought to that planet will come."
Finally, she turned off the moniter and looked at the scenery before her. "Soon enough I will finally have the revenge I have always craved."
The mistress looked down at her hand, forming a strange purple ball of energy. "Isn't that right, sister dear?"
WELL, THIS IS BY FAR THE LONGEST EPISODE I'VE WRITTEN SO FAR. HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED IT! STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT EPISODE, WHICH IS COMING OUT SOONER THAN YOU THINK! THANKS FOR READING! CHOW!
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