Selias
Apparently we think a bit a like. I was planning to have my Buffy SI character, who does replace Wesley as you suggested, use technology a lot. And I don't just means guns.
For example you can knock a vampire out very quickly with tranquilizers. That makes them a lot easier to stake. Also flame throwers. Blessed holy water pistols aimed at the eyes would blind a vampire or just holy water and garlic mace would do. Laser targeting for the crossbows.
Shame that wooden bullets don't work. Not enough mass. Some sort of stake launcher would be fine but that wouldn't have a great rate of fire.
Wonder if blessed bullets to the knee caps would do any good?
No powers, other than Wesley's minor talent for magic as that will be needed, lot of Buffyverse knowledge and as for the Soul Curse thing well that might not led to supernatural Charlie's Angels as it tends to take a while for the vampire to get over the guilt. Spike went mad for months and he was a vampire for far less time than Darla and Drusilla.
Author Notes:
This the last chapter of DC Gothic – Teen Titans. The story is now over 140,000 words long. Which is a lot when you remember that a story can be considered an adult sized novel at 80,000 words and this is just the first book. I really am going for something epic here I hope you guys appreciate this. It's second only to Wizard Gothic in word count, but hopefully unlike that story this one will keep going.
It has taken only a month, give or take a day or two, to write. The sheer amount of research and writing has eaten up my free time up like you wouldn't believe. I really shouldn't stay single for so long it makes me strange. I've started dreaming about this story which is really freaky.
I have to admit that it's been emotional to write parts of this tale I really became invested in the character and the characters who I tried to make my own as well. DC Gothic's been a bit crazy I know but he's an immortal having to grow up a second time in very stressful environment. Add all that to the fact that he had a romance with Raven that started during an apocalypse and he had to be a little insane just to keep getting out of bed in the morning.
Overall I'm happy. It does needs some proper editing so if anyone out there who wouldn't mind Beta reading some parts for me, even if its just their favourite chapter, then I would be very grateful. I've been meaning to do that for all my stories but I never seem to get around to it.
Then there's my reviewers. You guys have been great. I've gotten loads of comments, suggestions and even some complements. Special thanks to Dark0w1, Joe Lawyer, tylermech66, ImaRussian, Selias, DeusImperator92, DarkAvenger001 and Golum936 for giving this story so much of your attention. You guys really kept this story going.
DC Gothic – Epilogue
Titan Tower -2002
I stood on the roof of the tower while looking up the stars. This always helped to calm me and I needed it now as I had a lot to do this night. Goodbyes to make, a team to disband, and Slade's final death to deal with. Then there was the fact that Kara was a little upset about the fact that her evil clone was now out of that coma.
Plus I even having a not so small personal crisis. In my hands I held Slade's mask. I'd grabbed it on impulse but now I was glad that I had as it had revealed to me that one of runes that was burned into the mask matched one that had flared up on my arm earlier.
After a quick look through some of Raven's book I'd discovered that the rune was part of a spell of sorts. It was a component of a ritual that was suppose to prepare a person to receive the powers of a demonic being. Demons normally had their own bodies or just possessed people, as it was easier but that wasn't what the shade of Trigon had wanted.
Perhaps the ghost of Trigon could not have controlled me and so had tried to merge with me instead. Made sense as if he could of taken me over then he wouldn't need me to sire a child that Raven would carry, he'd of just used me as a vessel.
He comes to claim, he comes to sire. The end of all things mortal.
Prophecies can be tricky things. Once you got past Raven's part about being the Gem, you could interpret those two lines in a number of ways.
It could be Raven that was the end of all things mortal. Trigon had sired her you could say that her willingness to open the portal was because he'd claimed her in some way.
However it did say 'he comes to claim, he comes to sire' it did not say that he had already sired the end of all things mortal. So it could be that Trigon would claim somebody and then become the father of whoever it was that ended of all mortal life. But what pf he had claimed me as his heir and I got Raven knocked up? Then it could be our child that destroyed all mortal life.
That had been something Slade had ranted about while torturing me, which had involved burning my skin at one point, of course I didn't trust Wilson's views on things.
One of few things I was sure of was that Trigon himself was not what I was calling 'The Destroyer'. Sure he'd killed off most of human race but we weren't the only mortals in this reality. He'd been planning to conquer the rest of this existence. Perhaps that would have brought about the end of all things mortal, but it wasn't clear. What was clear was that he would sire The Destroyer that was the prophecy had actually said.
Trigon's ghost being reborn into its own grandchild would involve claiming the child. You did sort of sire you own grandchildren as well. As you had made one of their parents.
It got even more complex when you remembered that Sire was also a form of address for a king. So 'come to sire' could also mean that Trigon would make himself lord and master of the person or persons who would destroy all the mortals.
He had claimed me as his heir, in a roundabout sort of way. So if he was able to dominate me, to make himself my father figure or if I became his willing servant. Then that made it even more weird because then I could even be The Destroyer. Heck I'd even read that Trigon already held the title of 'demon king' as he ruled a demonic underworld.
If I was his heir in a spiritual sense then I could actually be the ruler of that underworld. That assumed of course that Trigon had no living sons and that Raven didn't have a claim. Maybe not as she had after all rejected the demon as a father and even some removed most of their blood connection. Also it was highly doubtful that she would want to rule some hell. Wasn't that appealing to me either for that matter.
And what of Slade? Had he been planning to come along for the ride? I didn't think that you could have two minds in one body and it seemed unlikely that he'd been trying to take over my body. No he'd wanted a legacy, not a way to cheat death. So maybe some sort of merging of minds or at least a memory transfer?
Either one of those would of made me his successor. But that hadn't happened. I was still me. I had still had the same wants and fears. My feelings for the people in my life hadn't changed. That was thanks to my mental shields of that I was sure.
However on some sort of immaterial level the ritual had worked. I could now summon fire and hold it in the palms of my hands. Slade didn't seem to be in my mind but there might have been some sort of supernatural essence passed on along with some of Trigon's powers.
That should of have freaked me out more than it did but what really worried me was what would happen if people found out. I was part demon now, not biologically but spiritually at least. Did that make me the enemy?
Maybe not given that the Demon Etrigan was a member of the Justice League, and he was even bound to a human being.
"Begone, begone — the form of man — Rise, the Demon Trigon" I muttered softly.
Nothing happened of course, but I had half expected to grow horns or at least to end up with two sets of eyes for a moment there.
So maybe no one in League would care much. After all they'd all done things worse than get themselves merged with a source of evil. But while they might be a little too forgiving and understanding they weren't fools. They would keep an eye on me.
Maybe I shouldn't join the League at all. I had other options. I had a fiancé I hadn't seen for over six months and while arranged marriages could be very successful it wouldn't be such a bad idea to try and get to know the future wife.
Heck I even had an apprentice offer that was rather attractive, a rarity in of its self. The witch Tala had offered to take me on. It might be a trap or just an excuse for her to get herself another boyfriend, but right now it looked tempting. Mostly because she might actually be able to help me with being Trigon's heir, assuming that was what I was.
Of course doing either of those things would mean leaving Kara, which before today would never have seemed like an option. But Tala had placed that sliver of uncertainty in my mind. Normally I'd be angry at the person who had tried to make me doubt Kara, but given that I now had something demonic inside me.
Lastly I could try to fight to keep the Titans going. It was so unfair that we were being shut down at the order of some alien overlord who lived up in space. Wasn't I suppose to fight tyranny?
The anger started and more fire appeared, but I was about to calm myself down and that made it vanish. My existing abilities had allowed me to gain at least some control over my new ones very easily. The god thing that had sent me here sure seemed to have known what powers I'd need in this universe.
I might of ended up thinking on this matter for hours but I heard someone land behind me. To my surprise it wasn't Kara checking up on me it was in fact Starfire.
"I have come to make my goodbyes" informed the soon to be space queen "and to confess a hidden truth".
This did seem to be the place for it.
"What are you talking about, Koriand'r?" I said using the princess's real name.
Compared to Old One titles, alien names weren't much of a challenge to speak.
"It involves the time the Teen Titans did battle with the villain known as Warp" she answered.
Okay either I was going crazier or she was becoming easier to understand.
"You mean when you went to the future?" I inquired.
That seemed to happen a lot to the Titans. It was rather worrying all this time travel and I was pretty sure that the time line still hadn't fully sorted itself out.
"Yes" replied the alien babe "I saw a possible future, one that I did not like and while there I met a future version of you".
Well given that I was immortal that was hardly surprising, but what was surprising was the fact that she was going to tell me all about.
"Okay why don't you tell me everything" I requested.
And she did.
(Line Break)
Jump City - 2001
The alien princess Koriand'r or Starfire as she better known in these parts skipped down the corridor It was the perfect day, the weather was great. No one was attempting to destroy Jump City, and best of all today was Blorthog!
Starfire wanted all of her friends to have an amazing time. She had already prepared all the decorations and presents that were required for the celebration, so they didn't need to do anything other than have great amounts of fun.
However in order to do that they all had to be together, this meant that Starfire had to gather her friends.
She knew that Raven would be in her room as last night the newest member of the team had upset the magic using girl. He'd hadn't done it on purpose, the teen from an alternate universe had simply been frustrated about being taken off duty after causing that popular singer to cancel his concert. Starfire had been upset about that for a while but Raven had calmed her down, and she felt that Gothic's reason had been good ones even if he had handled things the wrong way.
Later that week when Raven had sort of tried to ask the immortal on a date, only very badly, the rocker had made a nasty comment that was something along the lines of 'no I don't want to hang around with a bunch of whiny self harming emos' Clearly he hadn't understood that Raven's plan would not have involved other emos, cutting oneself, or any whining.
Starfire however was not going to give into despair. Eventually Raven would be able to tell the immortal hero in training that she had a romantic interest in him in a way that didn't escape the dense minds human boys seemed to have. Although to be fair Raven hadn't figured out how strong her feelings were just yet, but she would soon and then she would 'make the move'.
As for today this was the day that they would both take a big step towards that moment. After all good romantic relationships started of as friendships, that was how it worked in the movies.
Oddly Raven's door was half-open. This made Starfire smile as it meant that her friend was not retreating totally into solitude, and perhaps she was even leaving the door open in case a certain someone passed by.
Slowly the alien princess fully opened the door, what she saw surprised her.
Raven appeared to be playing with those cute models of mythological creatures. Something she hadn't done for a while. Starfire wasn't stupid, she was naïve about life of Earth but her own people were highly emotional so she understood when someone was expressing themselves. Starfire just tended to be more direct about it.
The mythological horse like creature which Raven liked to use as an avatar for herself was saying something about a candy themed social event that it wanted another character, which was model of a horse not part of that franchise, to accompany the proxy of Raven to.
Apparently he'd said no which caused the hooded girl to call out.
"Why won't you go out with me, you stupid stallion!".
Starfire didn't know much about Earth psychology but she got the impression that Raven's use of the word 'stallion' was something that would raise a few eyebrows if the others heard it. Perhaps soon it would be time for more 'talk of the girls', but for now it was time to have the fun.
"Happy Blorthog!" Starfire joyfully said to Raven's back
The smile only remained on her lips for a few seconds before it turned into a confused frown, and then into a look of fear. Raven's eyes were glowing red, never a good sign, and when she spoke it sounded rather demonic.
"Nobody's allowed in my room!".
The door slammed in Starfire's face and the alien princess looked ready to burst into tears. However the young princess's boundless optimism would not be defeated so easily. Raven would leave her bedroom once the sounds of fun-filled Titan Tower.
However it wouldn't hurt if she got Gothic to ask Raven to join them... actually it might as Raven could end up blasting the immortal down the corridor with her powers judging by the music that she was now playing.
To that end the alien princess went to the immortal Titan's room. She knocked but there was no reply. However upon careful listening she could faintly hear music playing.
Normally Starfire wouldn't enter the rocker's room without permission but she did want him to join the celebration.
Unlike Raven, Gothic seemed to know how to socialize and have fun, he just preferred not to when he was in a negative mood. However no negativity would prevent his having of fun on this day.
She entered the room to find the hero from another universe sitting up on bed. His knees were up so that a book he was reading had something to lean on.
Starfire almost sighed when she realised that Raven also liked that book. Not for the exact same reasons judging by the reactions to the movie version of the tale. The magic using girl was more positively inclined the blood drinking monsters known as the vampires, were as the immortal enjoyed it when the vampires got destroyed by the heroes.
Another thing they had common was their taste in music. They listened to many of the same bands and sometimes even the same albums. There were differences. The immortal liked what he called 'head banging music' rather than 'depressive emo whiny shit' but once in a while they would even play the same songs.
Why Raven and Gothic didn't seem to realise that their slight differences would actually make them a better couple was something beyond Starfire. Sometimes she thought it would be wise to lock them in a room together. Of course she had no idea that people thought the same about her and Robin.
The immortal was wearing headphones, as he was considerate about not damaging other people's ear drums so Starfire was forced to get the young hero's attention.
Which caused him to grab a gun from under his pillow, and very nearly to point it right at her.
"Christ, Star" said the somewhat insane hero "couldn't you have knocked. I might not of gotten up yet".
"I did do the knocking" she informed "my knocking you up was both loud and plentiful".
"Errr I don't think you phrased that right" stated the immortal "that or you're really confused about human reproduction".
"There is no confusion" corrected the alien babe "today is Blorthog, you must celebrate, but first you must speak to Raven and make her join in with the fun that is Blorthog"
"That's not a good idea" protested Gothic "She might not be able to kill me but I still feel pain".
Star used her own version of the Batglare. It was in the words of Pokémon players everywhere: Super Effective.
"Okay, don't smite me I'll go talk to her".
With that done the alien princess then marched off in order to gather then needed supplies
Then when Starfire entered the common room her heart nearly broken when she Robin standing by himself. He had blasting music playing and his eyes were slammed shut.
He was in a bad mood. She could immediately tell as she always knew when her own romantic interest was in pain.
Beast Boy and Cyborg were on the couch, arguing over the controller to a video game console. They were shouting at each other and saying mean thing, not at all how friends should act.
She set everything down and took out of some of the beaded necklaces that she made herself for each of her friends. They were based on ones handed out during an event here on Earth called Fat Tuesday, not quite the same as the ones used back home but she thought that the alteration would make the celebration easier for her friends to embrace.
"Friends! Would you like to join me in my celebration of Blorthog? It is the Tamaranian holiday that celebrates friendship!"
"GIVE ME BACK THE REMOTE, GRASS STAIN!" Cyborg screamed over the already very loud music.
"IT'S MY TURN!" Beast boy replied.
Starfire then glanced over at Robin, who was still damaging his hearing with the music of beating. He was paying her no attention what so ever.
The loud music from Robin, the yelling from Beast boy and Cyborg, combined with Raven's terrible behaviour, and lastly Gothic's referencing of her ignorance of this culture was really starting to get to the alien. Today was suppose to be a good day.
This not fun mood could not be allowed, she would throw them a party and they would have fun. Robin would pay attention to her, and the others would stop acting like they weren't all close friends.
Maybe by the end of the day, Raven would be willing to discuss her 'trouble of the boys' with Starfire
None of that happened. Beast boy was thrown over the couch by Cyborg. The shape shifter quickly grabbed onto the beads Star was holding in an attempt to not fall face first onto the floor.
The necklace shattered and the beads dropped to the floor. It was all very symbolic.
"STOP!" the alien screamed.
Everyone in the room flinched. Beast boy and Cyborg turned off the television immediately much like Robin with his music. As for Raven and Gothic they ran into the room as if they thought that the Tower was under attack. Which to be fair did happen quite often.
"Friends, why are you acting like this? It… it is not right! Today is Blorthog, the day of friendship! If we do not celebrate properly… we might… we might drift apart".
Somehow she made the words 'drift apart' sound like 'suffer horrible fates and then die'.
"Drift apart?" Beast boy frowned. "Star, we aren't… drifting apart or anything."
"Yeah," Robin agreed "We're just acting like roommates. It's normal. Friends fight sometimes but that doesn't mean that we won't make up".
Starfire was able to hold back the tears.
"Are you sure?" she asked seeking further assurance
"We'll be friends forever," Cyborg agreed "we might not always been a team or even get along but we'll always be there for one another when it counts the most".
Starfire glanced up at the team in hope. Everyone, even Raven, offered a comforting smile. Reassurance had been successful.
Then the alarm rang out, meaning that villain was on the loose once again. That or a giant creature of some sort was trying to eat people.
"Titans, go".
Everyone but Gothic left and as Star flew after the team she heard him say.
"You kidnap one celebrity and they kick you off the team. Bloody heroes".
(Line Break)
Jump City - 2001
Warp smirked as he stared down at the Clock of Eternity. It was his now, it would vanish today just as his research had suggested. Only it wouldn't remain vanished. He would sell it for millions of credits once he got it home.
"Put the clock back!" a voice ordered.
Warp turned to see the Teen Titans, standing there in their full glory just like the holovids. Well nearly all of them. The immortal, who still making the news in Warp's native time, seemed to be missing.
"Ah, the Teen Titans. I've read about you in the history books," he said.
That should have been confusing but apparently they either didn't care or they just thought he was mad.
'No matter' Warp thought as he prepared his weapons, the ones he brought here specifically for beating the young heroes.
"You titans are out of date. I am from the future," Warp gloated as he took each of the teen heroes down.
Before any of the crime fighters could do anything the crook had the clock and was preparing to leave.
"It's been fun!" he said as the portal opened.
Star, who really wanted to rent some anger flew towards the thief and tackled him right just as the portal through time closed.
"Starfire!" Robin shouted out in despair.
She was gone.
(Line Break)
Jump City 2021
Starfire did not like the future. The city had greatly changed. Many parts of it were run down and people seemed to be keeping off the streets. The only thing that hadn't changed much was Titan Tower. Well it had actually changed in some respects. It still looked the same but there was something wrong with the place. Koriand'r felt as if there was a darkness clouding her home, but that didn't stop the alien princess from flying inside.
Upon hearing the sound of someone gently crying Koriand'r quickly made her way to Raven's room, as that was the source of the sound.
"Raven? Raven, it is Starfire, your friend," the alien called as she entered the room.
It hadn't changed much. It was as if someone had purposely tried to maintain it. Actually upon closer inspection a few little details had changed, there were shelves that didn't contain books. Rather they were covered with personal effects. Lots of photos, a ticket to a concert that had been torn in half. A snow globe that contained a model of Jump City and things that Starfire had no knowledge but somehow they seemed important.
"No such thing," Raven said softly while resting in her four poster bed.
"Please, Raven, I..." started Koriand'r.
"Just another figment, a memory. Don't even look. It will go away".
Star's heart was starting to hurt.
"You must listen! I am here because..."
"You're dead!" Raven interrupted angrily "You all died, so you can't be real. Go away!"
With that the magic user hid under the covers and started to call out.
"She has to go away. Just like before. She died like the others. Everyone dies or goes away, but not him. Where is he? Why isn't he here? I need him to make her go AWAY!"
The last shout must have been heard all over the Tower as it was responded to by someone. The sound of heavy footsteps grew louder as someone ran towards Raven's room.
That was when Starfire saw him and he saw her. One of her team mates was alive and a lot more sane in appearance. He didn't look much older either, he'd aged a few years over the past two decades but at some point it seemed to have stopped. He still wore body armour and a black coat only the one he wore now as leather jacket with a white skull on the back.
Gothic lowered the gun and then smiled.
"I figured you turn up one day" said the immortal "in this universe you should never assume anyone is dead until after the autopsy has been done, and even then always leave room for a little doubt".
"Make her go away!" demanded Raven "I don't want her here!".
"Sorry luv" said the Brit slipping into a different accent for a moment "but she's not in your head. Well not this time"
Gothic walked over to Raven and gently stroked her hair until she calmed down. Then he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, before saying.
"I'll be back soon, luv" said the immortal.
"You'll never leave me" whispered Raven before going to sleep.
"Never" he whispered back "I'll always be here for you".
Gothic stepped away from the bed and gestured for Starfire to follow him. When they were outside of them he closed the door behind them and turned to the alien princess.
"What is wrong with Raven?" Koriand'r asked to know.
"That's a long story" said the rocker "after you disappeared things got bad between us Titans. We fought more and I ran off for a while. Raven tried to keep us together, she even called me back to Jump City, but then the world ended. She ended it. Cyborg and BB died fighting Trigon. I'd gone into the underworld to get Raven out but by the time we'd gotten back only Robin was left standing. Even what was left of the Justice League were getting picked off. Then Trigon tried to kill me. That was the last straw. Raven totally lost it. She became what I call 'Black Raven' it's the part of her that feels only hate. She used that hate to kill Trigon but that much dark magic, it broke something inside her. She can't control her feelings anyone. It's only gotten worse over the years. Sometimes she's happy for a while and its like having a big kid around the place. Then she'll get scared or angry, but most of the time she's just... despairing"
Starfire could almost picture it all in her mind. She'd never felt so depressed.
"Borg and Beastie Boy died but unlike everybody else they didn't come back to life. I have no idea why, some magic thing I guess. After that Robin was nearly as bloodthirsty as me, but he never crossed the lines I did. Slade made it worse. He was able to play Tim and me off against each other. Eventually I killed Slade, well as much as you can kill the undead. I tried to make it work with just Supergirl but she left me. Ray went Green Raven after catching us... well you can imagine what would make Raven jealous enough to turn into a big green monster. Since then it's just been me and her, alone in this godforsaken tower".
Finally Starfire could take it no more. She practically tackled the goth in a hug as she started to try to comfort him.
"I am so sorry, friend Gothic"
"Gothic" muttered the black clad man before speaking more clearly "No one but Ray 'as called me that for years. Heck it's been a good long while since anyone called me friend either. I go by Immortal these days or The Punisher if you've been a very bad girl who needs to die, but that wouldn't mean anything to you so forgot that part".
The Immortal then led the alien into the common room, which looked more like an armoury/trophy room than a living space. There guns and items of clothing, and even weapons that she was sure that her friend of the past would never of used. The most worrying sight was his old coats. He'd stopped wearing his crime fighting outfit,
"I stopped bothering with the capes and cowls stuff a long time ago. I just slap on the body armour and wear a scary mask now. It's the only way for one man to protect an entire city. Sorry if that upsets you Koriand'r, but I never was much of hero".
"Why did you call me Koriand'r?" the alien princess questioned.
"Koriand'r. That is your real name, right? Blackfire always called you that. She hated it when I called you Starfire. In her view being a hero was what got you killed... well displaced anyway. Eventually she started hating this life nearly as much as I do"
"Blackfire is here?" asked a shocked princess "on Earth?".
"No she left... must be about eighteen or seventeen years ago now. She came here when she heard of your 'death', it hit her hard. There was just me and Raven by then. Once she gotten control of her grief, Fire tried to be like you. She even tried to make me fight like a Titan again. But by then I'd realised that I never was a hero. I'd just been fooling myself. Then when Kara left I just dropped the act".
That last statement was even more shocking to the alien than hearing about her sister attempting to reform herself. She was numb to that because she could see how much Immortal was suffering.
"You... truly believe that?" questioned Starfire.
"Yes. I do."
"Oh," Starfire said mournfully
"Sorry princess, but even Supergirl couldn't save me.
Then when things seemed hopeless Immortal smiled.
"She couldn't save me, but maybe you can".
"How?" she inquired.
If there was a way to help her friends then she would do it without question.
"I've seen Warp a few times in the last month" explained the anti-hero "I suspect that he's trying to fix his time machine. We don't have the tech he needs yet but I think he's getting close because his robberies are getting more frequent. If we can get his tech we can send you back and change this crappy future into something that will hopefully not suck so much".
There was no question that this future did indeed do the sucking.
"But I can't take him alone. It's like he studied me in the future. Every time we fight he has another gizmo ready to take me down. He's even got something that cancels out my Old One magic".
Star was about to ask about something but her question was answered before she could ask.
"So we're going to need help".
"From who?" asked Starfire
"My wife" Immortal growled before changing his tone "oh and Batman".
(Line Break)
In Flight to Gotham - 2021
"Raven, will she be all right?" Starfire asked over the comm unit in her borrowed helmet.
She needed the device as she flew with Immortal who was currently riding the Gothbike. Apparently he could fly but nearly fast enough to keep up with Star. The bike was a hybrid of human and alien tech and so could go airborne as well. But he didn't seem to enjoy flying very much.
For the trip the man once known mostly as Gothic was dressed in black leather and had odd looking axe swung across his back. A utility belt was the only thing he had left of the outfit he'd use to wear when working with the Titans. He also had at least three guns on his person. He'd mention that using magic wasn't such a good idea when your feeling over emotional were as guns don't care what sort of mood you're in.
"She's not child" Immortal explained "she doesn't need me to fed her or anything like that. She just needs me to be around at least some of the time. I think I keep her anchored more than anything else".
"Oh" was all Starfire said.
Star didn't say anything for a while, but she did want to ask something Immortal seemed to understand that.
"Okay, whatever is on your mind, just ask" offered the anti-hero "I have empathic powers now, so you can't hide your feelings from me".
Finally the alien princess found the courage to ask.
"I am curious about you and Raven. Are you lovers?"
Immortal was silent for a moment or two, but Star soon got her answers.
"I didn't understand just how much loved me until after the big reset. I don't think she did either. The Titans were over already after that we just didn't accept it. Me and Robin never saw eye to eye on a lot of things. Hell he tried to beat me down once or twice. My methods were... too extreme even for him. Killing Toyman that was what really ended it, but I was so angry back then. Slade had a way of getting under my skin... Anyway Raven was the only one who was there for me, her mood shifts weren't so bad back then so we were lovers for a while. She tried to be there for me... in a girlfriend sort of way. Then I killed Slade and somehow that allowed Trigon to make his heir. A sort of ghost of him was inside Slade, it's rather confessing. That was when Raven really started to fall apart. She... she tried to free me. She bound her father's ghost within in me but she had go 'Dark Raven' to do it. She killed me to save me, it took me three days for me to get out of that coma. By the end of it she was self harming and regressing. We never made love again. She's not all there in the head even when she's happy Pink Raven so I never... Plus she had father issues and me getting sort of merged with him was to much to handle. It's super creepy even without Trigon's ghost wanting to me get her pregnant so he can be reborn as The Destroyer".
With that said neither of them spoke for a good long while.
"But yeah I love her and she loves me" confessed the immortal some time later "and I'll never leave her. Never. But I know she'll leave me one day. Everyone does".
(Line Break)
Gotham - 2021
The window of the closed bar smashed apart as the crook went flying through it. He was soon followed by a masked figure whose cape fluttered in the early morning breeze. But this was ordinary super hero, this was The Batman.
"Where is he!?" the Dark Knight demanded to know "Where's the Red Hood. I know he's been here, so don't you dare lie to me".
"He's not here" the criminal confessed "he was, but he already left. He said he had some business in Star City".
"If you're lying to me I will find out" the Caped Crusader "I will hunt you down and next time I'll do a lot worse than throw you through a window".
The sheer amount of terror expressed by the felon's eyes assured The Batman that he was being told the truth.
"He's not kidding you" said a familiar voice "if you're lying he will be back for you, and if you're very lucky he'll find you before I do".
The wrongdoer became even more terrified when he saw who had just spoken.
"Punisher!" the thug half screamed "no not you. Please Batman don't let him hurt me".
Rather than reply the Dark Knight slammed his open palm into the panic-stricken man's face, knocking him out. Batman was about to express his displeasure at the Immortal's presence when somebody else spoke.
"Robin?" said the gentle and so familiar voice.
Oh, how he had missed that voice all these years. It brought him great joy just to hear her say that name. It brought back the memories of a time when everything had been right in the world. It took him back to the days before becoming The Batman, before all of this.
"No one..." he said, half whispering "has called me that in a long time.
Walking out of the shadows that he had lived in for so long, he got to look upon her face. She hadn't changed a bit. She was as gorgeous as ever. He, however, had aged. He was twenty years older, but right now he felt no different than how he'd felt when he was only sixteen years old. He perfectly remembered how she'd made him feel when they'd first met. The kiss that still haunted his lips.
"It's been a long time, Starfire," he said with as much of a smile as Batman could muster "he was right. He told me you weren't dead, but I lost hope. I'm so sorry".
As it turns out even Batman could cry.
The Batcave – 2021
"So, I assume Gothic told you what happened after you left?" Batman asked as he and Starfire walked through the underground lair.
Star didn't answer right away she was to busy looking all around, examining all the equipment he now used as the Batman. It was much better than what Immortal had to work with. Which was odd because in the past Robin had gone out of his way to make sure that Gothic not only had access to the Boy Wonder's spare equipment but also that he was trained in their usage.
"He did not tell me much, but it was more than I could withstand to hear" Starfire said quietly.
She looked up at Batman's unmasked face and felt her cheeks grow warm. There was no doubt in her mind that this was her Robin's future self, and that he had grown into a very handsome man.
She blushed at this thought and quickly looked away. Batman, however, had not failed to notice the signs
Then Starfire saw something in a case that caught her eye, and she stopped walking at once. For a while she simply stared at it, wanting to cry. It was the Robin costume. The outfit he had worn as a teenager.
She wrapped her arms around herself, tears coming to her eyes. She realised then that her Robin was long gone. He'd been crushed under the weight that was the burden of being The Batman.
She felt something wrap around her and looked up in surprise to see that Batman had wrapped his cloak around her. She smiled, knowing that at least in this was one way he hadn't changed. He'd never stopped caring about her.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome" Tim Drake replied.
Neither of them said nothing for a while until Starfire found herself being wrapped up in a strong pair of arms.
"I've missed you so much" admitted the former Boy Wonder "All these years I never stopped thinking about you. I loved you so much and I never got to tell you. But I gave up, can you forgive me for that?"
"Robin of course I forgive you!"
"I'd like it better if you called me Tim," he said with a smile.
"Tim" she whispered.
The former Boy Wonder wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest.
"When you were gone," he whispered, "I wanted to quit so badly. I've hated his life so much. All I ever wanted to do since I saw the world end was to settle down and be normal. Even before that I had my doubts. I was never like Nightwing. I never wanted to be Batman, not really that was just a stupid kid's dream".
Starfire opened her eyes in surprise at his declaration. She hadn't known that Robin had felt this way. What worse was that he could never of had that sort of life with her. She was going to be a queen one day, and even if she could make him her king, that would never be a life that her Robin wanted.
"Star, I'm sorry for never telling you how I felt," Tim added "I guess I always took you for granted. But when you go back that will change I promise".
"Oh, Robin," she cried, burying her face further into his chest.
"Listen, Star" Tim Drake whispered "we don't have much time. Immortal's conjugal visit will only last a few hours before Talia gives up trying to get him to join the League of Shadows and just gives him the information we need, so we need to make sure that you know what to change about the past".
Starfire knew one thing that she was going to change. She was going to let Robin go. He deserved that normal life he longed for but he would never have it if he still thought that they could be a couple. But that didn't stop of her from having some conjugal time of her own.
Jump City – 2021
In the years to come Starfire would look back on the fight and never ceased to be amazed by it.
Gothic had cast off the identity of Immortal and gone into battle without a single lethal weapon. Back in his long dark coat he charged into the fight right alongside Batman. They had fought as a team, every move was perfect, every gadget was wisely used to strip away a layer of Warp's defences.
In her eyes Tim had been even more impressive. He had been able to match the darker hero's every move even though he lacked his former friend's many super powers. The former Boy Wonder had planned the battle down to the last detail, and it had seemed as if victory was assured.
Sadly plans rarely went smoothly. Warp's technology and future knowledge gave him an edge they simply couldn't completely overcome. They could of still defeated the time traveller the alien princess was sure of that but not without destroying the needed technology.
Then a miracle had taken place.
Raven had appeared from no where. Her cloak had gone from a dark blue to a sky coloured one. Her mere presence had seemed to restore the others as she had somehow become hope personified.
With their combined talents and powers the four of them became Titans once more. From that point on Warp hadn't a chance of winning. That he ended up dying of old age in a matter of seconds was sad but it was Warp's fault for messing with a force as dangerous as time.
"It's set to twenty years ago" said Batman as he handed the device over to Star "You have to hurry if you want to go back to your time!"
Starfire looked at the porthole with a mix of emotions. Doubts entered her mind. If this was the way things were supposed to be, then what was the point of going back? Why couldn't she stay there with them and focus on their future instead of the past? If she remained here maybe they could be a team once more. The world badly needed a new Justice League and between the four of them they could surely face any threat.
With this in mind, she looked up at Tim Drake, wondering if he was thinking the same thing. He was looking at her and she remembered that this life wasn't what he wanted.
"Please!" she said desperately. "Tell me that this is not the way it is meant to be! Tell me that there is hope, that we can make things better".
The two of them remained silent as her gaze met his.
"If anyone can make things better, then it's you Star" assured The Batman.
He gently laid his hands on her waist and kissed her tenderly on the lips, but they had to stop quickly, since time was running out. When they pulled away, Starfire looked longingly up at the former Robin.
Then he pressed the artifact that Warp had stolen 20 years ago into her hands. With that, Koriand'r began to understand that nothing was really fixed so she gave one smile back at her friends before jumping into the portal.
She could change things. She would change things.
(Line BreaK)
Titan Tower -2002
The word "Wow" summed it all up nicely.
"I had no idea" I whispered before speaking more clearly "but now that I think about it a lot of things make more sense now. Cyborg building the Gothbike. Robin letting me go off and fight the Occupation. Trying to make ME his friend even after I killed. You're even why he told me about Raven".
Starfire only nodded
"It's also why you left" I reasoned "if you hadn't then Tim never would of fallen for DB and gotten his way out. You gave him up".
I saw Starfire begin to slump so I put a reassuring arm around her shoulders.
"Thank you" I said "you did so much for us, and thanks for not doing too much either".
She done exactly enough but she'd hadn't tried to interfere any more than she'd had to. Tim must of know exactly what needed to changed and Star had followed the plan brilliantly.
"Things will better" the alien princess said firmly "but there is one thing you must do for me".
"Name it" I replied.
"You must join the Justice League".
That I hadn't expected.
"But they want to shut the Titans down" I argued "If I stay and fight maybe I could ... isn't that what you want to keep the Teen Titans going?"
Starfire shook her head and said.
"You must leave this tower, Gothic. You must join the League of Justice!"
"Why?" I inquired.
Starfire leaned in and shared a little more of that future with me.
"I can save Batman" I realised "and Superman if I do it right, but it will mean losing Kara".
The alien princess had just told me how those heroes had died, and even with the chances in the time line they could still met those fates. I had to change things. The entire future depended on it. Even if it meant letting Kara vanish from my life.
"I'll do it" I told the alien babe "I'll join the League".
"And you must wait for friend Raven" instructed Starfire "she will come back to you. She had to leave you know why now".
Because if she was here now she'd know about Trigon and would try to save me. But she wasn't ready yet, she would be.
"I will return to my homeworld tomorrow, and I must take my brother with me" informed the soon to be queen "Blackfire will remain her in exile as she chose. You must keep her with you Gothic".
"Understood" I replied.
"Before I go I wish to do the hugging".
Which we did and it lasted quiet a while. Thankfully it was like holding an upset sister than anything werid.
After that the alien princess flew off and left me to speak to the Titans. They wouldn't take the news well, so I would just have to soften the blow as best I could. I had to go. I had work to do. The League would need me.
Author Note.
I can't relate to Starfire very well. I did try you should be able to tell. Hopefully it's readable as it's kinda important to the story. It gets depressing at parts as well but I think it's kind of hopeful at the end. Things will get worse for Gothic but then they will get better I promise.