A/N: I really have little excuse for this late update. It was ready a while ago, but I've been on vacation with very little internet access. I could check my email, and then I had to surrender the computer to my brother. So… sorry. I'm working on the next one already, I promise. Oh, and a quick note to the anonymous reviewer from last chapter, I suppose you could use Nightmare Child and Changer in your story, if you give me credit… I really couldn't stop you.
Disclaimer: Ownership of the Teen Titans continues to evade me.
Chapter 10: Storms and Nightmares
Kid Flash had his head against the cool window pane, staring out over the city. Robin walked up to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry for what I said," Kid Flash whispered. His voice was hoarse from crying. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and he was so exhausted that it looked like he would fall over at the slightest gust of wind.
"It's alright. You were angry, tired, and you'd just lost the girl you love. I understand."
"Yeah," the speedster replied.
"Come on," Robin said, handing the fastest boy alive a small bag. "Change into these. We're going out."
"We?'
"Me, you, Speedy and Aqualad. You need some cheering up."
"You really think I can be cheered up?"
"Not really, but we might as well try."
Kid Flash forced a grin, and dashed off to find a bathroom. Robin walked off to consult Raven about teleporting into town.
Kole and Jericho were in what was quickly becoming their usual spot. Side by side on the couch, talking while Jericho played his guitar softly.
"That one was great, Jericho."
Jericho smiled at her, causing Kole to blush a little.
It was really easy, he signed.
"Well, it still sounded really good. How long have you played?"
Since I was about four.
"That's a long time. How old are you now?"
Sixteen.
"I'm fifteen. My birthday's next month, though."
Jericho smiled at her. Kole wondered if she should ask him the question she'd wanted to ask him for a few days now. A flash of guilt went through her mind. Here she was, having a great time with Jericho, while her friends suffered. She bit her lip.
Jericho signed something. She looked up. "Sorry, I missed that. What did you say?"
Are you okay?
"Yeah," she muttered, looking away.
Doesn't look like it, he signed, leaning forward. What's wrong?
"I was just thinking about how our friends are captured by the Nightmare Child, while we're spending time together, having fun."
What, you think they want us to be miserable people who just sit around and wait to be abducted? We might as well enjoy ourselves while we have the chance. Because I was talking with Beast Boy, and he says that he's calculated the odds of who's going next, and you and I were on the top of the list.
Kole laughed. "Beast Boy…"
Yeah.
"How'd he figured it out?"
Something to do with personalities, size, and humor factor.
"Of course," Kole nodded solemnly. "But anyways, Jericho, there was something I wanted to ask you."
What is it?
"Would you like to go to the movies or something with me?" she said quickly, afraid that if she hesitated she'd lose her nerve
Jericho blushed a little. I'd like that.
It was Kole's turn to blush again.
"Hey Sparky," Bumblebee said, grinning up at her boyfriend.
"Hey," he responded, looking up.
"Do you mind if I access the security tapes?" Bee asked. "I want to look into how that Nightmare Child is getting through security."
"I already checked," Cyborg grumbled. She flew up to peck her taller boyfriend on the cheek.
"Yes, but I have a few ideas that I'd like to check out."
He sighed. "Fine. Passcode's 422153. Use your communicator on the scanner."
"Thanks Sparky," she said, squeezing his hand.
She walked down the hallway. Things were going downhill quickly. With Jinx, a powerful member down for the count, along with Hot Spot, Kilowatt, and the Herald, things were looking serious. They had to be careful.
She punched the passcode in, and flashed her communicator over the scanner. The door creaked open, and she walked in.
The room was small, but covered completely in monitors. She glanced all over, noticing the various scenes that were playing out all around her. Jericho and Kole were talking in the common area, Thunder and Lightning doing target practice, and Bushido was preparing lunch. She sat down in the swivel chair, and pulled out the keyboard. This room was almost identical to the one that they had in the Titans East Tower. She'd be able to work this.
She quickly typed in a command and the monitor directly in front of her cut away from Starfire having a solemn discussion with Red Star to show her a regular computer screen. She grabbed the mouse next to her, and selected "History." She selected the date of Kilowatt and the Herald's disappearance. The monitor offered her a selection of screens to choose from (security protocol required that only one monitor could be in not-present time). She selected the hallway were the two Titans had disappeared. She set the time-frame for after 8:30, when the Herald and Aqualad had last talked, and started watching in a sped up fashion.
Bee watched as the hallway zoomed before her eyes. Several Titans walked by, including Kilowatt on his way to bed. When the monitors showed the time as 11:36, Kilowatt walked by again. Argent leaned forward, and quickly typed in a command. She followed the electric Titan down the hallway. Kilowatt turned suddenly, and the whole thing went black.
Bee quickly pressed a few buttons, attempting to revive the screen. "Footage unavailable." The screen read.
"But how could they have stopped the signal?" Bee whispered. "That doesn't make any sense."
Hot Spot hadn't been in the Tower, but Jinx on the other hand… Quickly, Bee selected the camera directly outside Jinx and KF's shared quarters. There were no cameras in the bedrooms, for obvious reasons.
She watched carefully. At around 3:56 AM the night of her disappearance, Jinx appeared on the monitors. She was clearly unconscious, and being dragged by an invisible force.
"Invisible, huh?" Bee whispered. "Let's see what we can do about that." She quickly pressed a few keys, switching it to infrared. Sure enough, there was something there, something very cold and that wasn't shaped even vaguely like a human. More like a blob. A blue blob.
Bee frowned at it. "Must be the Nightmare Child."
She quickly returned the screen to normal, and switched all monitors to infrared. She scanned all of the monitors, searching for that cold spot.
"There," she whispered, spotting it and a human shaped blob next to it, "Now where would that be…"
As it happens, it was right outside the door. She turned around, and the door opened.
"Hello." It was the "Creepy Girl" as the HIVE had dubbed her. She fit the description exactly, down to the sunglasses.
Bumblebee got to her feet, taking out her stingers. She spotted the Nightmare Child in the background, smiling at her as the door slammed shut.
"I suppose you're the one who kidnapped my friends," Bee said, ready for a fight.
"Actually, that was Nightmare. I usually don't get my hands dirty. But I want to send a message, and when Nightmare fights, it's over too quickly."
"Well, you are going down now," she said, attacking. She fired her stingers, aiming for the brunette. Gracefully, the other girl leapt over them, landing in front of Bee. The girl aimed a kick at Bee's head, which she dodged. Her sneaker collided with one of the monitors, shattering it.
"Who are you?" Bee demanded, firing her stingers again.
"Changer," the other girl replied, throwing the chair at Bee. Bee leapt to the side as the swivel chair smashed into several more monitors, sending shards of glass in all directions.
Bee got to her feet and charged at the girl, aiming a punch for Changer's face.
Changer leaned backwards in order to minimize the damage of the blow, and swiped Bumblebee's feet out from under her, sending her to the floor hard. Bee raised her hands above her, firing her stingers, forcing the other girl to retreat. She flew to her feet, sending another round of stingers at the brunette.
Changer somersaulted away from the blasts, landing nimbly on the chair she had thrown earlier. She smirked at her. "So, how long are you going to take before you give up?"
"My friends will be here soon enough," Bee said confidently, charging her.
"You think so?" Changer asked sweetly. "Well, I suppose you could be right. It's not like the Titans are all on the other side of the Tower then. And it's not like Nightmare would attack anyone who did come in this direction or anything of the sort."
Bee froze. She was alone then, without backup.
"And with you gone, the Titans East doesn't have a leader, the entire network just lost their second-in-command, and we have yet another lonely boyfriend. Kid Flash worked out so much better then I hoped, you know. I thought we'd get a bit of angst, maybe some tears, but that raw anger? Never expected that. He's full of surprises, that one." The other girl didn't move at all during her little speech.
"Why'd you take Jinx in the first place?" Bee demanded.
"Stupid girl ruined my plan. You guys were about to tear little Jericho apart. But no. She had to be rational. Coolheaded. Logical. It set back my plans. You have any idea how angry Slade would be if you heroes damaged poor little Joey? So now, instead of him having a vendetta against you lot, I had to arrange for him to go off in search of Jericho's big brother so he wouldn't kill me for hurting his little boy! Do you have any idea how hard it is to plant a false lead in Africa, let alone arrange for it to reach him?" She did not look happy. "I'm bored now."
She leapt through the air, and Bee raised her stingers to fire again as she took to the air. Changer grabbed at Bee's foot, trying to weigh her down back to earth. Bumblebee swung her foot, sending Changer flying into several monitors, where she slumped, coated in broken glass, unconscious.
Bee landed not far from the other girl. She scrambled for her communicators. "Robin, I need backup in the monitor room. I've found her—" The other girl grabbed the communicator out of her hands, and stepped on it deliberately. Bee's eyes widened as she saw the communicator splinter into pieces under the girl's weight. The other girl smirked.
"Message delivered," she whispered, slamming her fist against Bee's temple. She collapsed, unconscious.
Kid Flash, Speedy, Aqualad and Robin all sat around a table in a sushi restraint in Jump City, all in civvies.
The silence was awkward, to say the least. They couldn't think of anything to talk about. Hero business was off limits, girls were taboo, and only Kid Flash went to school.
"What do normal people talk about then?" Speedy demanded, clearly annoyed.
"…football?" Aqualad supplied, looking uncertain.
"…the weather?" Robin said, also a bit unsure.
"School stuff," Kid Flash corrected. "Seriously, do you guys never hang out with people outside your teams?"
They all exchanged glances. "Batman?" offered Robin in a low voice. Aqualad cuffed him over the head. "Ow!"
"No hero names, remember? Civilian names only. And I thought you hadn't seen Bruce since you threw that hissy fit and went to Jump."
"I did not throw a hissy fit."
"Really? Cause I heard otherwise," Kid Flash said with a grin.
"I believe the word Alfred used was tantrum," Speedy corrected.
"Oh right. Sorry Dick. I thought you hadn't seen Bruce since you threw that tantrum and moved to Jump."
Robin sighed and leaned on his hand. "What about you, Garth? You've been seeing anyone around?"
"Well, Arthur comes to visit every now and then," the Atlantean said slowly. "Sometimes I go down to Atlantis to talk to Tula and Kaldur."
"Who?" the speedster said. "And you meant Atlanta, didn't you?"
"Yes, thank you. Tula and Kaldur are my friends from my old school."
"Ah." Kid Flash looked up. "I want to see what's taking them so long." He got to his feet and walked over to the counter.
"So Tula's your girlfriend, right?" Speedy asked Aqualad quietly as soon as their friend was out of earshot.
"Wait a minute. You have a girlfriend?" Robin said, shocked.
"Yes and yes." The Atlantean looked miffed. "What's the matter Dick? Think I can't have a girlfriend?"
"Just unexpected that's all," the Boy Wonder assured him. "What's next, Roy with a girlfriend?"
"For your information, I do have one," the archer informed him in his haughtiest tone.
Both of them stared at him. "…you're kidding right?" Aqualad asked.
"I'm not kidding! Her name's Jade."
"He's making this up," Aqualad said to Robin seriously.
"Really? I just thought he'd finally lost it," Robin responded, equally serious.
"Hey!" Speedy said, flushing. "I am not making this up, and I have not lost it!"
"Then do tell why you have not informed us of this miracle beforehand," Aqualad said with a grin.
"Miracle?" Speedy demanded, his voice cracking. He recovered quickly. "Because I'm dating her out of—school," He amended quickly, noticing the attention his indignant cry had brought. "If I told you guys, Bee would give her the third degree, and I don't want to scare her off! We've only been on three dates so far."
"So what's she like?" Robin said innocently.
"Tall as me, hot, funny, dark hair, Asian features, likes high heels, dislikes handholding, has a black belt, is a freshmen in college, and loves rock and roll."
"Nice one Roy!" said Kid Flash, slipping into his seat, followed by a waitress who was carrying a tray full of sushi.
"Wally! Uh…" Speedy looked sheepish.
"Bad break up?" the waitress asked, setting down the tray.
"The worst," Robin assured her.
She winced, and left.
"It's fine guys, really." Kid Flash tucked into his sushi. "Romance talk is not going to send me ballistic again, I promise."
They exchanged glances, and started eating. Finally, Speedy had to ask. "Hey Wally. You know when you were pissed at Dick, and were yelling at him?"
"I vaguely remember," responded the speedster with a mouthful of tuna.
"Did you mean what you said?" the archer asked.
"What bit?"
"About asking her to… you know…"
"Marry me?"
"Yeah."
"Yes. I did."
"Wow." Speedy leaned over and placed a hand on Kid Flash's shoulder. "We'll find her."
He grinned tiredly, but it was a smile nonetheless. "I know."
Their communicators all went off at that moment. Bumblebee was there, her hair coming out of its buns in all directions and a few thin cuts going down her face. "Robin, I need backup in the monitor room. I've found her—" The connection was abruptly cut off. They were all on their feet in an instant.
Robin dashed over to the counter to pay the tab while the others dashed off. Kid Flash sped around the corner, changing into his spandex, and then ran back to the Tower faster than the speed of sound.
Aqualad quickly followed suit, changing outfits and then running towards the harbor. Speedy stayed back after changing, waiting for the Boy Wonder. Sure enough, a few seconds later Robin turned the corner, already with a mask on and a utility belt attached to his waist. Speedy gestured over his shoulder to the alley in which the other three boys had already changed, and Robin responded by merely removing his shirt, revealing his traditional outfit underneath. He raised a hand to his hair, rearranging it to resemble his normal hairdo.
"Man, you are overly prepared," Speedy commented, drawing his bow. "Let's go."
The two powerless former sidekicks dashed from rooftop to rooftop until they arrived at the harbor, where Robin located the storage shed that contained the speedboat that was stashed there for occasions like this. He leapt into the driver's seat, while Speedy vaulted into the shotgun position. The two of them zoomed over the water until they arrived at the Tower.
But they were still too late.
Starfire hadn't meant to doze off, really. But she'd stayed up very late the night before, talking with Robin, and the book that Raven had leant her was, in all honesty, a bit dull. So she had fallen asleep.
A part of her mind knew that this was merely a dream. But that bit was small and mainly ignored as she stared in horror at the screen in front of her.
"Koriand'r!" It was Galfore. "Tamaran needs you! The Citadel are attacking us!"
Starfire felt cold. Her people needed her. She knew her duty as Empress. She had to go defend them. She had to leave her team. She turned around, seeing all of her friends behind her. Their faces were masks of horror.
"I…I must go," Starfire said softly, unable to meet Robin's eyes.
"But… we need you," whispered Beast Boy. "You can't leave!"
"I must," Starfire replied.
"Starfire, no!" Robin grabbed her arm. "Starfire you can't!"
"My loyalty is to my people," she whispered, tears breaking free.
"What about us?" Robin said. "What about the Titans?"
"My people need me," she said, pulling out of his grip.
She raced for the rooftop. "Starfire!" Robin was chasing after her. She ran faster. "Starfire!"
She leapt off the roof, flying to her home. The time passed quickly as she returned to her home. "Galfore!" she declared. "I have returned!"
"Thank X'Hal!" her mentor said, pulling her into a tight embrace. "You will lead us into battle, Empress. And with you at the head of our people, we shall be victorious!"
Starfire nodded, trying to not think about the Titans that she had left behind.
The battle was bloody and vicious. Starfire watched as her childhood companions fell around her, but she survived. They were, indeed, victorious. The people mourned and celebrated in the traditional ceremonies. As Empress, she presided over these events, and then, once again, returned the crown to Galfore.
Eagerly, she returned to Earth, were she prepared a long apology for her friends.
She landed outside the doors, and knocked eagerly. "Robin! Raven! Beast Boy! Cyborg! I have returned!"
There was no response. Worried, she quickly pried open the door, and dashed inside. The Tower was dark, and she saw nothing. She ran into the Ops. Center, where she was greeted by a horrible sight.
There, on the floor, was Cyborg, his electronic eye not glowing, battered, bleeding and bruised. His torso had been ripped open, revealing wires, gears and computer chips. Starfire spotted Cyborg's power core across the room, broken in two. She ran over to him, and grabbed her unofficial brother in her arms. He was cold to the touch. Tears fell for her fallen friend. She scrambled to her feet, wondering why he was lying there, uncared for.
Beast Boy was on the couch with heavy bruising, as if he had been beaten within an inch of his life. His throat had been cut, soaking the couch cushions with his blood. Starfire dashed to her dear friend, so small in death, to find that his heart no longer beat, and his breath was no more.
"Robin? Raven?" she called out for her missing lover and friend.
She made a dash for Robin's room, only making it partway up the stairs before she found Robin when she slipped on the carpet, made slippery by his blood. Crying out in shock and pain, she crawled over to where her beloved lay. He was sprawled on the carpet, arms and legs bent in directions and angles that Starfire knew human limbs were not supposed to go. He had horrid slash marks up and down his torso, soaking his outfit in his own blood. His face had been cut as well, forming the words "Little Birdie" on his forehead and cheeks. She spotted bruise marks around his throat, and then noticed the stab wound right above the area where the human heart was located. She pulled Robin to her chest and sobbed.
She was not sure how long she remained there, when she heard a voice. "It's your fault you know."
"Ra-Raven?" she managed, looking up through her tears.
Sure enough, the half demon stood in front of her. She had her hood pulled up, staring at her with accusing purple eyes that Starfire could see even in this dark staircase.
"It's your fault they're dead," Raven said flatly. She pulled down her hood, revealing tear trails on her dirty face. "If you had been here, they would have lived. You claimed to be loyal to your people, but you weren't loyal to your family."
Starfire looked down at Robin's dead form, and had to agree. Everything faded.
Robin stood in front of her, in his apprentice uniform once again. His face cold and uncaring, he held the blaster out towards her.
"Starfire! Starfire, wake up!" Starfire opened her eyes with a cry of surprise, looking into Raven.
"Raven?" she asked, shocked.
"Starfire, look at me." Raven stared into Starfire's eyes, biting her lip. "No sign of overshadowing," Raven muttered to herself.
"I am confused. What is going on?"
"You just had a dream influenced by the Nightmare Child," Raven replied. "Do you remember what happened?"
Starfire saw Robin's broken body in her mind's eye. "Far too well."
Raven ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't know if you would have if I hadn't woken you up. Has this happened at all the last few weeks? Horrible nightmares of any sort?"
Starfire thought back. "No."
Raven looked thoughtful, and got to her feet.
"Raven? How did you know that the Nightmare Child was influencing my dreams?"
"I'm an empath, Starfire. You felt just like Argent did when she was standing to close to that thing."
Starfire looked thoughtful. "But why would the Nightmare Child give me bad dreams?"
"I don't know," Raven admitted. "What did you see, exactly?"
"In my nightmare, I was forced to leave the Titans for a period of time," Starfire began, uncertain of how much she should tell her best friend. "And when I returned, I discovered that I had failed as a teammate, as a friend, and as a lorthr'an.
"Lothran?"
"Lorthr'an," Starfire corrected. "In my culture this is the most important of vows. Two warriors who are emotionally connected to each other take it before battles, swearing to protect each other, fight beside each other, and if the other falls, to be present so that one might avenge the other. The vow lasts past death, and is considered the greatest sign of friendship and love between people. My parents took this vow, and I took it with Robin."
"Is it always done romantically?"
"Not at all! Siblings often take it, as do dear friends and comrades. However, with the royal family, yes, it is always romantically taken. It is usually coupled with the royal marriage ceremony."
Raven sat down next to her. "What happens if you break it?"
"That is considered the most grave of all crimes, even worse than treason, or cowardice in battle. One is banished from Tameran and never permitted to return, not even after death. One may never again look one of our warriors in the eye, and they may never speak our language again. The high priestess of X'Hal removes their ability to do so."
Raven's eyebrow went up. "Sounds very harsh."
Starfire shrugged her shoulders. "That is why not many break that vow. Those who do not believe that they would be able to keep it do not take it. It is not necessary."
Raven nodded thoughtfully. "Does Robin know the implications of the vow?"
"Yes, I made sure to inform him of it beforehand. If one is tricked or forced into the vow, the vow is not valid."
Raven smiled at her friend. "What was his face like when you told him about this?"
Starfire opened her mouth to answer, when the communicators went off. They flipped it open, seeing Bumblebee there. "Robin, I need backup in the monitor room. I've found her—"
A/N: Sometimes it's a bit disturbing what images my brain can produce if it wants to write one of these nightmare things. I was writing this in a car, I looked back at what I just wrote, and then I decided that the other nightmare I was writing wouldn't go to this chapter. It's coming up, I assure you though. Any guesses on whose it is?
Reviews really help me update faster. So please leave them.
Thanks,
Hinn-Raven
