We're heading down a dangerous road...
"I'm sorry you won't fit inside my heart,
I want to love without the build up."
~Kimbra
Titans Phantom
Chapter 31: My Big Tamaranian Wedding?
Danny hummed quietly as he walked down the Titans hallway. The ever presence of his ghost core a solid weight inside him, a comfort along with each beat of his heart. It felt wonderful to be whole again. Turning the corner, he nearly ran headlong into a mountain of precariously stacked purple clothes being carried by Starfire.
"Um…Star?" He asked moving aside while peeking into her stripped down room.
"Hmmm?" She acknowledged, however not stopping as she took another round of clothes and bags out into the hallway while Beastboy joined them.
"Going somewhere?" The changeling asked, Robin and Cyborg wandering up, both equally confused.
"I am leaving for Tamaran." Star calmly answered, Raven rounding the corner, watching in puzzlement.
"And you're taking all your stuff, because…?"
For a moment, Starfire frowned before giving a breathtaking smile.
"Because I am not ever coming back."
"WHAT?"
"Starfire, what's wrong?" Robin managed to choke out through the shock and the horror of; I'll never get to see her again, racing in him.
"Nothing is wrong," she hastily added, still smiling though it now appeared strained. "I am, getting married."
"WHAT?!" They all screamed again, and Danny felt like the floor was disappearing beneath his feet, when he noticed Robin listing dangerously to one side and he and Cyborg were forced to steady their friend, keeping him from collapsing. Suddenly, today didn't feel so great.
As the team traveled faster than light, heading towards Starfire's home planet, the whole artificial atmosphere felt tense. And the closer they got, the greater Danny could feel Robin's incredulity grow. Until finally, his friend came over the com. and the other four Titans tried to pretend they couldn't hear the awkward, heart wrenching pain coming from their leader. Along with Starfire's painful, almost borderline illegal, cheerfulness.
"You're getting married?" Robin emphasized as if it were a criminal act.
"Indeed. And I cannot wait to see Tamaran. I have been getting a bit of the sick home feeling, and am eager to introduce my home planet to you, my friends."
Danny noted that Star entirely glossed over Robin's question. Choosing instead to relay tales of her world. Of what they should try food wise, to seeing the giant Portkins, which were apparently very big…as big as a Flornop, whatever the heck that was.
"Um, am I the only one afraid of the Portkins?" Beastboy cut in. Leaving Danny to wonder, how many things on Starfire's planet could kill them?
"You're getting married?" Robin snapped again, as if saying it once more would cement it as truth. All the while sounding like a petulant child. Danny figured telling his friend this would end up with his side of the ship being ejected and sent careening towards a black hole, so he held his tongue. Thankfully, Raven stepped in, her monotone voice slightly rough with skepticism.
"Yeah, uh, anyone we know?"
"Oh, I have never met him. My betrothed has been chosen for me by the Grand Ruler of Tamaran." Starfire replied in nervous excitement.
When Robin's voice cut through the speakers, it sounded as if every ounce of air had been pulled from his lungs. Danny ached with sympathy.
"You're getting married, and, to someone you've never met?!"
"Of course, Robin. It is the way of my people."
Danny, having been too caught up in the realization that this was actually happening— that Starfire was leaving— noticed to late that his screen was flashing red, before the ship was hit by enemy fire.
Everyone was jolted forward, watching as ten green ships, distinctly scarab in design, flew over them, firing once more, jarring everyone in their seats.
"I don't suppose this is some kind of crazy Tamaranian welcoming committee?" Cy yelled as Starfire told them 'no' while Robin brought the ship about, readying for another wave.
"Titans, separate!" He ordered.
Soon everything became a blur of energy weapons, fast maneuvering, and blinding light through space. As Danny fought off two ships all the while hearing Robin calmly relaying orders, and the others cutting in to warn another member of attacks in the dead of space.
"I am beginning to suspect that separation was not such a good idea." Starfire called. Her ship spiraling up, cutting sharply to the right, resulting in the ship chasing her to explode into an asteroid.
"Starfire's right. Titans, regroup."
At Robin's order, Danny cut his wheel, spiraled around and headed towards his friends while noticing that the ships following him had trouble banking. The rest of the T-ship was almost upon him when Robin gave the order: Danny hit the thrust reversal, making the engine scream as it suddenly pulled up short of slamming into Raven's in deceleration, before throttling up along with the rest of the Titans. Soon all six of them were rocketing up and the scarab ships collided together, unable to adjust their course. They went up in flames with Beastboy whooping into the mic. set, as Cyborg punched in the codes reconnecting the ship.
"Who were they?" Robin wondered as Beastboy asked where they were. It was then Danny finally focused on what planet was outside his window. The long streaks of red clouds looking painted across the atmosphere of the misty purple world as if done by a calligrapher's brush. The sight was breathtaking.
"The planet Tamaran, my home."
Yet like all things, as they descended, the planet became sweeping deserts of mixed purples and blues, with jagged rocks and little vegetation. While still otherworldly, it quickly became ordinary, except Starfire was practically gushing praises in the comm.
"Oh, is it not the most beautiful place your eyes have ever observed?"
"Uh….sure?" Raven said as they passed another rock formation which looked exactly like all the other rock formations. Danny had to slap one white gloved hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. Still, stopping at a city built up and into the sides of a mountain was impressive, and altogether terrifying. Especially when Cyborg landed the T-Ship onto a balcony that could easily hold all of Star City and then some.
As they walked to the giant, stone carved gate, with Starfire ahead, her feet almost bouncing in anticipation, Danny desperately tried to shove the growing panic in his gut away and altogether ignore the aura of gloom radiating from Robin. When, with a heavy clang, the gate drew up, and a dozen guards and one man, who resembled more of a giant, strode out, a thunderous scowl etched on his face. Starfire's eyes bled electric green and starbolts gathered in her fists as she boldly or foolishly flew at the man, stopping short of brushing noses with the other Tamaranian as she yelled.
It was in a language low and harsh, yet rolled off someone as sweet and pure as Starfire with ease. Danny still floated off the ground, ectoblasts burning in his fists as Robin prepared to order the Titans to fight. Voice barely carrying over the roar of the giant Tamaranian man who lunged at Starfire with arms the size of two small SUVs and fists that could break buildings. Starfire screamed before she broke out in pearls of laughter, the man mercilessly tickling her.
The Titans were left dumbstruck.
"Uh, unless they tickle people to death here, I think we've been had." Cy stated while rubbing the back of his head to ease the growing tension.
Smiling, Starfire strode over to her friends. All the while holding onto a hand that dwarfed her shoulder from where it rested, "Friends, I wish you to meet my K'norfka, Galfor. He raised me from the time I was very small."
So in essence, Danny realized, this mountain of a man was really…
"Your Nanny!" Beastboy howled, causing all the Titans to side step him completely as Galfor suddenly towered over the changeling. His one good eye menacing.
"You find that amusing, Little One?!"
"Ah…"
"Nice to meet you." Robin interrupted, bowing to Galfor, who brought his fist to chest in a warriors greeting.
"X'hal, I see you have met our new enemy."
Danny tried not to wince as he heard one of the engines in the T-Ship hit the ground.
"Then you know who attacked us?" Robin noted. Moving to stand by Galfor as the man motioned to the edge of the balcony. Down below, thousands of scarab ships were resting on the desert sand. So still and silent it made a shiver race up the halfa's spine. Something…didn't feel right. At Galfor's growling voice, Danny turned away from the sight. The strange feelings leaving him as he watched the man's fists clench at his sides. Hopeless frustration pulling taught those broad shoulders.
"They are the great Drenthax army: they threaten to overthrow our planet, our way of life, and if I were Grand Ruler I would…" Galfor had to stop right there. His rough voice halting as a deep sigh overcame him and he wearily met Starfire's eyes. "Well, I am not. Let's just say much has changed since you departed." Sorrowful eyes met hers, pain Starfire openly returned.
"I have missed you, Galfor."
Taking her chin in one hand, the old man smiled before bowing on one knee, "and I have missed you, Princess Starfire."
With this the rest of the guards went down and the Teen Titans were thrown through the ringer once again. Leaving them standing along with Starfire, who slowly blushed crimson.
"Princess?!"
"Oh, yes, I am second in line to the throne. Perhaps I failed to mention it?" She said laughing nervously, before literally dragging the royal guard and Galfor through the massive doors. Abandoning the four startled teens and one upset leader.
"Did you know about this?" Cyborg asked in bewilderment, directing it to Robin whose scowl now looked permanently etched on, Danny noticed grimly.
"Just go."
The castle was a towering place, with sweeping pillars and flowing carpets, strange animals that resembled pit bulls: only with enlarged fangs, blood red eyes, and around the size of a bulldozer, were chained incrementally along the walls. Silently watching, until Beastboy got a little too close to one and smiled.
"Alien animals, cool!"
Danny couldn't fault the creature when it tried to take a bite out of the changeling and Raven punched Beastboy in the arm. "You're the alien here." She reminded him, giving such a stern look, Beastboy's ears drooped.
It was during this time Robin had made his way through the men guarding Starfire and placed a hand upon her shoulder. A normal gesture, one all of them had done at some point or another, and hardly worth noting… until Danny heard Galfor give a mighty roar and suddenly he was between the Titan and the Princess, along with the guards, who now aimed the pointy ends of their spears at the startled leader.
At first, Danny thought it must have been something his friend had spoken. The wedding, no doubt. But at Galfor's answer, the halfa felt all his ectoplasm freeze over in the most unpleasant way.
"It is forbidden for offworlders to touch the Princess."
No touching…as in, no bone crushing goodbye hugs in order to prevent oneself from bawling their eyes out when they had to leave Starfire behind? What kind of messed up place was this? Danny wanted to howl. But what was worse, was seeing Starfire calmly ask Galfor not to harm them, then simply turn and float way. As if only commonly interested in the proceedings, or their wellbeing. What happed to the girl who'd freak out when Danny so much as got a bruise, or when Beastboy got gum in his hair for the millionth time? And from the looks of it, Robin was wondering the exact same thing. His mask hiding nothing. Showing all the pain coursing through his soul. At that moment, Danny wanted nothing more than to grab Starfire and rip a portal open into the Ghost Zone…now if only he could do that.
"I'm not touching her!" Beastboy called, carefully placing his hands behind his back. It was a thoughtful gesture, tactless in execution, but nonetheless appreciated in an attempt to lighten the already bleak mood.
A feast had been prepared long in advance. The Tamaranian people sparing nothing short of the finest trappings and dishware. The table was lavished in gold and rich silk purple, and the goblets were fit for the easy use for Frostbites snow yetis, and a Tamaranian's strength. Too bad none of the Titans could lift up even one of the stinking cups. Danny gave up when he couldn't even lift it with Telekinesis, and Cyborg stopped when a bracket from his arm nearly popped off and landed in the halfas cup next to him. Thankfully, their hosts were kind enough not to embarrass the Titans by pointing it out. Instead focusing on their returning Princess.
"A toast to our beautiful Princess, and her new husband."
Starfire smiled briefly, a controlled elegant thing, before she easily picked up the bronze and gold goblet and held it above her head.
"And to my good friends, I am jubilant you all could be here to celebrate my wedding."
Danny gave up and simply cheered with the rest of the people, before turning to look at Robin on his other side, who only had eyes for one person at the moment.
"We're really going to miss you."
Danny found himself growling. That was all he was going to say? To say Robin was a complete lovebird to Starfire's song, was like saying the sun was kind of bright, and that that cliché he just now used was still, well…not a cliché! In response to his frustration, Danny suddenly felt a small pop resound in the back of his mind, and Cyborg let out a yelp as his chair was dragged forward, winding him against the table.
"Yo man, what the hell?" He snapped, knowing exactly who the culprit was. Glaring at Danny with his two mismatched eyes.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that!"
"Danny, so help me, the day you stop getting powers, I'll laugh and call you a liar while tying you to my rocket and launching you from my shoe."
"Um…okay first, that wasn't a new power, and second, you have a rocket in your shoe?"
Before Cyborg could respond, the waiters deposited their food and the only thing that ran through any of the Teen Titans minds was, 'this is food?' The inedible dishes Starfire had made for them back home paled in comparison to this…it was…Danny found himself turning a new shade of green as something black and oozy, slithered in the bowl in front of him and smelled distinctly worse than Tucker's horrid cologne.
Starfire and the other Tamaranian's looked positively ravenous. And that was before Galfor put an axe through the table, destroying the dishes, and everyone literally getting on the table, and eating with only their hands and teeth.
"That's it. I'm going on a water diet." Danny groaned, scooting back as far as he could go in his chair to hide behind Robin's spiky hair.
"Um…I guess you learned your table manners from Earth?" Robin noted.
"Hurry or you will not get any!"
Robin took to trying to hide behind Danny, which resulted in them both cowering under the table.
"Hello, vegetarian in the house!" Beastboy hollered, an edge of hysteria in his voice before thrusting something— purplish black and squishy— that resembled an over bloated bacteria, in Cyborg's face.
"Does this look like a veggie to you?"
"I have no idea man." Then Cyborg ate it, and Beastboy promptly declared 'he wasn't hungry,' and joined Robin and Danny under the table. None of them had any idea where Raven ran off to. Until the sound of screeching bag pipes, so loud— bellowing like trumpets— rang throughout the hall and she reappeared from the column she'd hidden in. Danny wanted nothing more than to blast his ears off, along with the rest of the team. Seeming to realize this, Starfire turned to them with an apologetic blush staining her cheeks. "Um…it is music?" She tried, before blessedly it stopped. The table was cleared away, the court people all kneeled, along with the guards, and the doors at the end of the hall opened and the Grand Ruler stepped up onto the stone dais.
"All hail the Grand Ruler of Tamaran, the Empress!"
Starfire gasped and that was when Danny looked up and felt his jaw hit the floor.
"Blackfire?"
"Surprised to see me, little sister?" the Queen sneered. Her eyes glistening with malicious delight. The silver crown that framed her face sparkled gloriously in the light, along with the long robe across her shoulders, trailing down her back, and settling along the floor. It was a pale silver that complemented her black hair and silver armor. It did nothing to ease the Teen Titans minds.
"I am, surprised to see you out of prison." Star snapped. Standing to her full height, eyes bleeding electric green.
Charged violet met them. "Oh, that. Well after you had me thrown in jail, I got bored. So I broke out and took over Tamaran for kicks. But enough about me…"
Danny had to snort at that. From what he remembered, there was nothing more Blackfire enjoyed than talking about herself.
"I'm sure you're eager to see who you'll be spending the rest of your life with."
To this a red curtain parted, revealing, a scantily clad man: with flowing red hair and broad chested. So handsome even Danny blushed, simultaneously feeling a blow being issued to his self-esteem, along with Cyborg and Beastboy. Robin looked on the verge of protesting, or bursting an important blood vessel. Especially since Starfire and virtually every female in the room had drool gathering at the corners of parted lips. The man then flew to the side, and something, big, green and slimy, and had multiple suckers, dropped down and gurgled something that resembled a language, all the while spewing saliva onto the floor which the really hot man promptly wiped away.
"Starfire meet your groom, Glgrdsklechh."
Blackfire was practically beaming in joy. Starfire was in tears. Robin was about to burst in flames. And Danny, Raven, Cyborg and Beastboy, were struck speechless.
"Well…he's cute."
"Could you say that with more inflection, Rae? I don't think we heard that?" Danny hissed.
The silence then that descended was mixed between disbelief and disgust. Starfire looking to her sister, then gazing over to the Skluredge, without trying to appear disrespectful and back again. So far, she wasn't pulling it off.
"My, groom? But he is…I cannot…"
"You can, and you will. You see sister dear, this darling creature is the exalted Skluredge to the swamp moons of Drenthax-Four. And since his invasion army is parked outside our castle, I arranged your marriage to save our beloved Tamaran from annihilation. If your groom can't kiss his bride, we can all kiss Tamaran goodbye."
Blackfire's words sunk like stones in Danny's heart. And from the way Galfor's fists tightened, her words were a cruel reminder. Although the halfa wasn't sure if it was due to the state of things, or how it would go about being resolved.
The Skluredge eagerly puttered over to float by Starfire's side. Never seeing the way she cringed.
"I am sure we will be quite…happy together."
At this the Skluredge replied, more like burped, and Blackfire smirked.
"He says he can't wait to take you to his swamp planet, far, far, away. And now for more joyous news. After reviewing the candidates for marriage to seal my place on the throne, I have officially decided on my betrothed."
To this an undercurrent of anticipation ran through the crowd. While it was obvious that the Tamaranian people did not like Blackfire, they weren't against her being ruler. Either that, or Starfire's people simply enjoyed living in the moment. Danny figured it was the latter, as they all eagerly gazed up to the Empress.
Blackfire took the time to pause for effect. Her eyes roaming over the entire crowd, hungrily taking them in. Danny felt Cyborg lean down, "Man, I'd hate to be that poor sucker." He whispered and Danny couldn't help but agree.
"The warrior I have chosen is one of immense strength. Whose ties will bind us to the galaxy, and make it known throughout the universe that Tamaran will never again be one to be trifled with…" as her booming voice filled the throne room, a sense of foreboding came over Danny."A warrior so strong, the Justice League even fear him. Behold! My chosen will be none other than Danny Phantom, of the planet Earth!"
"What?!"
Danny felt no relief at the fact that he wasn't the only one who screamed. In fact, it seemed every one of the Titans did. The world strangely seemed to tilt then, taking on a surreal feature. This couldn't be happening, could it? He wasn't about to be sold into another peoples' customs, was he? It was then he remembered their destroyed ship right outside. If he refused, could they fight off an entire armada of Tamaranian's? The feeling of entrapment then gripped his heart, would they live if they fought? What would happen if one of his friends died, simply for this reason, and oh god, in that moment, Danny suddenly took back ever being mad at Starfire for understanding her duty towards her people. Even though at the moment, her eyes were blazing green and her fists burned with the force of her starbolts.
"Sister, you cannot be serious. Phantom is not one of us."
"No. In order to preserve our way of life, you will marry the Skluredge. In order to prosper, I will marry Phantom."
At this Robin stepped forward, an anger beyond words seeping through the very pores of his skin, permeating the air.
"And I'll say this to you, in accordance to the Galactic Laws of Earth, agreed upon by the Intergalactic Laws upheld by the Green Lantern Corps, states: No living, sentient being, can be, under any form of coercion, forced into a binding arrangement against their will."
Blackfire smiled in triumph, "Then I guess it's a good thing Phantom isn't alive, and need I remind you, Robin, that that law goes on and distinctly excludes any alien residing on your planet. As well as any being born with meta DNA. Even if Phantom were alive, the governing laws set down by your planet still exclude him. Therefore, by legal rights, he has no say."
Danny felt like he'd been slapped in the face, punched in the gut, and forced to cat sit for Vlad all at once, and that was still too nice a punishment. But to watch as Robin prepared to defend him once more. To potentially start a fight they couldn't win, cause an intergalactic scene, all to stop Starfire's bitch of a sister from getting what she wanted… no. This battle was lost. They needed to play with a different stack of cards.
"I accept your proposal."
"What?!"
To this, every Titan whirled around to face him, and Danny couldn't help the strangest sense of déjà vu wash over him. Only this time of the decidedly worse kind. Starfire was the only one who hadn't yelled and now watched him intently. Somehow that made it so much worse, and he couldn't meet her eyes as he came to stand beside her.
"We celebrate our weddings at Moonset, tonight!"
With this all the people cheered and Danny felt his heart wither inside.
"Take the Princess to her quarters to prepare. Phantom, I will lead you to our chambers."
The guards led Starfire away as Danny ascended the steps. Watching as Blackfire leaned over to the head of her warriors, whispering, "Keep an eye on their friends." Before motioning for him to follow. Ignoring the shiver that ran up his spine, along with the strong desire to punch something (or someone…Blackfire) in the face, Danny followed.
She led him through twisting chambers and up stone staircases. Lined with refined metal work so thin and flexible, it seemed fragile but held such strength that the thick tapestries flowing over the designs could blow in the wind without worry, or care of falling. As they drew closer to the inner most part of the castle, Danny began to notice less and less guards, and watched the tension leak out from Blackfire's broad shoulders that were strange for a woman with her frame. Terrifying in elegance.
They stopped at the last set of double doors, with two polished doorknobs larger than his head, before Blackfire pushed them open and they stepped into the main bedroom.
"Welcome home, Phantom. I call the right side." Blackfire almost sang as she flew in, pulling off her robe, tossing the crown with little regard onto the beautiful bed.
"How about I sleep on the couch." He snapped automatically. Taking in the circular room with awe, and the couch sitting a few feet in front of the bed with more twisting metalwork that reminded him of the intricate details that hid inside frozen snowflakes. Blackfire let out an almost girlish giggle and started removing her boots.
"Oh please, don't be chivalrous, we'll be wed by dawn tomorrow. So why wait? If it'll take the edge off, I could do a self-portrait of you since you're so bent on 'sleeping on the couch'." To this her dark eyes sparkled in a perverted leer, and she looked suggestively at the long sprawling piece and furniture in a way that made Danny's brain short circuit, while simultaneously causing his skin to do the creepy crawl sensations of repulsion.
"Oh, no way. You are not drawing me like one of your French girls! And I can't believe you just made a Titanic reference, and for the love of…are you calling me feminine!" He snapped before crossing his arms over his chest. The lights, which gave off a greenish glow, cast long shadows over muscle and danced across pale skin as if he were a mythical beast.
It reminded Blackfire of a caged Si'npa, a now extinct winged bird some might equate to an angel on Earth. It was a breath stealing sight. "Well, you are wearing some pretty tight clothes that highlights your ass."
"Superman wears tight clothes that shine brighter than a flamingo, and instead you say I'm the more feminine one?"
"He also has a cape, and his uniform isn't that bright."
"Fine, the Green Lanterns."
"Men in uniform don't count."
"The Flash." Danny added, trying to hide his growing desperation, while controlling the anger boiling under his skin. Finding satisfaction in the way his continued difference of opinion kept irking Blackfire. Making her eyes flash in annoyance.
"He's annoying and talkative, like my sister. He would be a woman in another life."
"That doesn't make him feminine, only that he has something in common with your sister. And on that note, that would mean you'd be a man! Your shoulders are wide enough for it." Danny added watching as Blackfire flushed dark red in offence to his offhanded comment.
Her eyes bled electric purple. "Well, your hair is whiter than an old man's."
"You scowl like an old hag."
"At least I don't look like a wannabe panda bear."
"Panda bears are cute and lovable. Which is better than I can say for you, you over armored, freak! I mean, compared to the rest of your people Blackfire, you're a downright prude."
At that Blackfire gave a roar, and in the next moment Danny was sailing through the glass before he was spinning, twisting in such a way that he came back around faster than Blackfire anticipated and slammed one leg into her unguarded stomach. Sending her sailing into the tall bed frame with a loud klang, before falling onto the dark silken covers in a sprawl of limbs and tangled sheets.
When she didn't get back up immediately with starbolts in hand, Danny felt the fight leave him. Slowly, he touched back down on the marble floor. Taking in heaving breaths more from their yelling match instead of the fight. It was as the silence continued to stretch on between them, that he felt the telltale signs of guilt beginning to rise up in his consciousness.
"Blackfire?"
The young woman in question stirred. It was then he noticed pale fists clenching and unclenching the dark black material, tremors shaking her frame, causing the last of his anger to dissipate and be replaced by concern.
"Blackfire, are you alright? I know I've seen you take more than a kick from Star and get back up, what's wrong?"
It was when he reached the bed did he finally see. The one thing that always made Danny freeze up and send his thoughts into a downward spiral of panic. Blackfire—queen of bitchiness and overall being an overconfident pain in the ass—who singlehandedly just managed to make his and Starfire's lives a current hell…was fighting back tears.
On the other side of the castle, Beastboy gave a startled scream. Stumbling out of a dark green chair which turned out to be a decorative plant. He had a distinct look of crazy eyes as he gazed around the dreary room in paranoia.
"I can't tell what's a bed, what's a chair, and what's alive! How am I supposed to get my beauty nap?" It was a question directed to no one in particular, but Robin let out a growl and stalked forward. His normally graceful movements now jerky and disjoint. A thunderous frown on his face.
"How can you even think about sleep? We can't let Danny or Starfire go through with this."
To this Raven stepped forward and lowered her hood. The only outward signs of her distress was the tightness crinkling the corners of her eyebrows.
"We know, but Blackfire is right on both accounts: Danny falls under the classification as an alien, and even still, it would be impossible for him to prove he was born a normal human without revealing who he was in a court of law. And as for Starfire, this is her planet. Her people, and things are different. Who are we to question her culture?"
At that Robin ground his teeth together. Raven was right, the laws were against them. It was also why so many metas still hid their powers. Simply for the fact that the likely hood they would end up in a place like Bell Reeve or Arkham was significantly higher than someone considered 'pure.' The legal system was flawed in that respect. For all the world's acceptance of heroes and villains, when it came to civil liberties and inalienable rights, it was as if they were thrown out the door the second one revealed they were meta.
In fact, if Beastboy was tried in court, it would be nearly impossible to prove he'd been human at birth. The only thing protecting him was his willingness to fight crime, and by being a part of the Teen Titans, and by association, the Justice League, it allowed him certain freedoms and liberties that were denied to a civilian meta. The hypocrisy was not lost on anyone. Nor the injustice of it. The reminder that Blackfire had given him set Robin's blood boiling. Whether it was at her, or his own willingness to overlook it for the greater good, Robin couldn't say.
For all the self-proclaimed progress Earth's peoples' had made on written paper with ideals, the reality and unspoken rules were far more grim and depressing. And if that didn't upset Robin, which it did, the straw that broke the camel's back was the fact that Danny had once again accepted it. And Starfire as well. She'd looked at Phantom not with pity or guilt, at Blackfire's ruling, but with understanding.
Both of them were so…clueless, sometimes about their value and self-worth in life that it made Robin want to strangle them.
"I get it Raven, I do. But you saw the way Starfire looked. She doesn't even like him and Phantom sure as hell didn't agree to this simply because he, 'has no say.' It was probably because he didn't want to risk us getting into a fight. What we do know is that Blackfire arranged this whole thing. How do we even know if any of this is real? Cyborg and Beastboy, check out the Drenthax fleet. Raven, see if you can learn about this thing Starfire's marrying."
"And you?" Cyborg asked as Robin's face set in grim determination. "I need to see Starfire, and possibly beat the afterlife out of Danny."
"Blackfire?"
She hated that name. Sadly, it was the only way her name translated into any Earth language. And to hear it be uttered with such, worry and care, set her blood boiling in humiliation. It made her feel the bitterness and sting of old wounds all the more.
"Komand'r."
"What?"
To this she looked up to glare at Phantom's two glowing green eyes as he approached the bed, concern and distrust warring across his face. Not that she could blame him for his mistrust, she was forcing him into marriage. It was still the most emotional display anyone had shown her.
"My name in Tamaranian is Komand'r." She snapped. Quickly moving to sit up and brush the traces of tears rimming her eyes while hiding her face from Phantom with the thick fall of her liquid onyx hair.
"Alright, is there a particular reason why you're crying, Kom?"
Phantom asked moving to sit next to her. His dark tenor voice rolling her name with ease, perfectly filling the vowel and bleeding it over into the next consonant. As if one were cupping water in their hands and letting flow down one's parched throat. Suffusing her name with life instead of the tart bitterness most called her. Those keen eyes studying her every move with a piercing intensity that Blackfire knew she could never fool. Suddenly, she wondered if selecting him as her betrothed had been such a wise idea.
"Are you sure you want to ask such a question? Girls don't like it when they're called out for crying. They'd rather be comforted."
To this Phantom shot her an annoyed look.
"Right…ignoring that load of lies. Are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to guess?"
Blackfire gave a humorless snort. "Relax, I'll go easy on you. I simply didn't like your comment about my armor."
At Danny's confused look, Blackfire chuckled. "You really don't think it odd that I wear so much?"
"Should I?"
"Do you think it strange that all my people are golden skinned and have hair of flaming reds or browns, while I alone have pale white and onyx black?"
Understanding began to dawn on Phantom's face. Yet he still raised a skeptical eyebrow towards her.
"So you're different, I'm guessing there's more to it than that."
"Indeed."
Danny watched as Blackfire's eyes seemed to lose their focus on him. Turning glassy and distant, her head tilting to the side as if hearing sounds from far away. It made her look strangely fragile.
"The day I was born should have been celebration. 'The first princess born in over a hundred years,' they all sang. Instead, the Citadel Empire attacked and slaughtered over three-thousand of my people in the city of Kyarr as a slight unto my name. You can only guess how my people took this."
"They blamed you." Danny voiced colorlessly, void of blame, yet Blackfire recoiled slightly as if shying away from a physical blow.
"It didn't help that I was born sickly and incapable of absorbing the rays of energy we use for flight. Such a crippling thing that only through Kori's pleadings unto Old Galfor, and his appeals to the court, was I able to retain my status as first born. Not that it made much difference. The people all adore my little sister and would gladly take up the sword against me, should she wish it. When I left Tamaran, I traveled to the darker parts of the universe where I met with a doctor who devised this armor. Most of it comes off. But some doesn't. He gave me the gift of flight, and in return I stole and plundered. All the while seeking what power is rightfully mine." Blackfire finished bitterly, her eyes overly bright and a painful sight to behold.
For a long while Danny merely stared at her in silent contemplation. Until of all things, he found himself starting to laugh. Not a chuckle, but genuine aches-in-the-sides laughter. Blackfire looked about ready to murder the halfa.
"You dare insult me?"
She screamed, lunging at him and Danny had to phase through the bed to avoid the starbolt sent at his chest. The instant he reappeared by the patio doors, Blackfire was already yanking on her boots. Preparing to storm out, face flushed in humiliation, eyes blazing violet. It was such a familiar sight Danny couldn't keep the sardonic smile off his lips.
"I'm sorry. You simply remind me someone I know…"
"Oh yeah? And who is that?" She hissed.
Danny's eyes turned hollow. Freezing Blackfire in place, robe clutched loosely in hand as he walked forward with the grace of a predator. She nearly blocked a punch that never came. Instead, Phantom bent down and retrieved her crown. Sliding it easily over her hair, letting it settle in place. His green eyes all the while unreadable, looking years older. Except for the brush of white bangs—fanning down messily in front— bringing his boyish looks into hard definition. Phantom looked like a striking young man with the Tamaranian sunlight bathing him from behind in a halo of blazing orchard reds.
Except the light showed the ghastly pallor of his skin.
Which this close, Blackfire could see the almost translucent quality it held. Papery thin so that the green veins below, fanning out in web of design, almost fooled her into thinking he was a living being.
It was then of course, she felt the freezing curl of air sink down into her skin. Past armor and blood, freezing her to the core. Those green eyes, so absent of any other shade or design besides solid glowing green, drew back her attention with hypnotic grace. Suddenly, Komand'r felt as if all of her misfortune and plight during life, her struggles to reclaim and affirm her power from: the surgery, seizing Tamaran, to these marriages, meant absolutely nothing to Phantom.
The absence of these feelings— the pointlessness— made her keenly aware of the blood rushing in her veins. Phantom tilted his head, regarding her with knowing eyes.
It sent fearful chills racing down her spine, skin prickling in cold-sweat.
"Tell me, Kom,"
She hoped with fervor then that he would tell her about this person she reminded him of…
"In all this time, all the people who drove you away, was Kori amongst them? Or is it her purity you hate?"
The afternoon light was gone. But the room was still washed in white.
Blackfire whirled around and stalked to the doors. Having all the times before floated instead, yanked the double doors open, but paused at the entrance. Not wanting to give Phantom the satisfaction of turning around, she merely chose to cast an eye over her shoulder.
"Don't you mean naïveté?"
Danny stood rooted to the spot. All harsh lines and avenging presence, even as his mouth quirked in triumph. "No, I don't."
She locked the doors. Hoping it would bring some measure of pleasure, before realizing if he so chose, Phantom could go free. Blackfire in that moment wondered if this is what true hatred felt like.
Down below, in the valley surrounding the Cliffside Castle, Cyborg was cutting a hole into the hull of one scarab ship of the Drenthax fleet. Stepping into the darkened corridor with Beastboy trailing behind, he'd flipped open his shoulder light, right when he heard the changeling give a muffled scream before tripping over a thick cable running across the floor.
"What are you trying to do, wake up the whole…where's the crew?" He asked, his voice rising to a normal volume as his scanners indicated no life signs throughout the ship that would need at most a minimum of ten to operate.
Beastboy sat up and rubbed one aching shin. "Out to lunch, maybe?"
Walking further inside to the cockpit, the two seats were empty except for the strange beeps and clicks of buttons and electronics, when Cyborg turned the seat around, both Titans were met with a robot that reminded the scifi-geeks of R2-D2.
"Remote control, they've got a whole fleet of ships…"
"But no army." Beastboy finished. The sound of metal whispering through air reached them and both turned to see four guards, handpicked by the Empress, walking towards them.
"And Blackfire doesn't want anyone to know." Cy answered.
Komand'r, Blackfire, Kom, all variations of her name, along with whatever it translated to in Glgrdsklechh's language. But even speaking his language it still sounded a lot like stepping into a puddle of mud. Messy and undignified, which in her current state of mind, with Phantom's presence still etched there, only served to enflame her. When the floating glob brought up their trade agreement, and her plans for power, she seized at it. At the familiar burn of manipulating others in her palms, of gaining the power that belonged to her.
At the Skluredge's sloppy compliment, Blackfire smirked. "Yes, my plan was brilliant wasn't it, Glgrdsklechh?" She answered. Her tone that of a statement, while both moved down the hall. One walking, the other floating.
"I give you my pesky little sister, and you give me the Jewel of Charta." With this the disgusting blob opened a small wooden box. So out of place surrounded by metalwork. In it, a blood red jewel set in gold diamond trim shown brilliantly.
When she picked it up, her eyes bled electric red. Her starbolts the color of a star going supernova. The rush in her veins banished the doubts Phantom had imprinted on her mind.
"With its powers enhancing my own, I can rule Tamaran with an iron fist. No one will dare challenge me."
Only one would. Her mind whispered. Beside her, Glgrdsklechh began convulsing violently before he spat out a mouthful of green saliva, sending it above her head, and Blackfire whirled around to see Raven come tumbling down from the shadows of her hiding place, looking disdainfully at the stuff coating her.
"Well done, Glgrdsklechh. You've discovered a spy." Blackfire reveled in the way Raven's violet eyes widened in shock, then pain, as one red starbolt slammed into her before she slumped to the floor, unconscious.
As the guards took the Titan away, and Glgrdsklechh left to go prepare his ships for departure, Blackfire pinned the Jewel to her chest plate and gazed in the mirror. The way it stood out against pale skin and sliver armor, darker than any of her peoples flaming hair and solar kissed skin, it made her smile. Finally, she was free.
Starfire pivoted, watching the flowing movements of the white silk follow the reflection of herself across the mirror. The dress was beautiful. Silver metal in a blossoming design encased her neck and shoulders, meeting smoothly with the white material of her dress that cut perfectly down her figure in a diamond form. The sides open to show golden skin, then continuing down in a long terrain of folds and silts that when she walked, would blow like the leaves on the trees to reveal flashes of skin and the silver of her sandals which came up to her knees. All that was left were the gauntlets of the same blossoming design and the crown of bonding, which ironically was the same as her big sister's. Starfire didn't feel beautiful in the slightest.
No, she wanted to fly away and take her friends with her, never to see Tamaran again. Those truly retching thoughts were what drove her to open her bedroom doors to see the guards standing outside. One turned to look at her, his eyes hard and emotionless, such a strange thing to see in her people. But that was the problem, they were her people. This her home, and her duty. It mattered not what happened in the past, she was still the Princess, and Blackfire now her Empress.
So why did Earth feel more a home than Tamaran?
"Oh X'hal, forgive me for such blasphemy." She whispered hoarsely, voice not carrying in the luscious room.
She had placed the last pin to keep the long, thick red braid that was her hair, from coming undone as it rested over her right shoulder, when she heard a soft sound. Like one chipping away at stone, then Robin was vaulting over her balcony, and she was flying to him so fast, nearly all the hard work from taming her fiery mane came undone.
"Oh Robin, I…trust you are enjoying your stay?" Star said. Forcing herself to pull up short of barreling into his arms from where he perched on the railing. Robin's mouth went strangely slack. Eyes widening beneath the domino mask, before he shook his head and held out one black gloved hand, the fingertips intricately detailed to give one the best advantages in a fight.
"Come on, we're getting out of here."
Starfire felt her throat constrict, and she had to look away. Down to the long train that required she hover off the ground, lest she trip over it.
"Robin, I am sorry. I cannot."
"Starfire, you don't want to marry him."
His voice was so sure. Kori wished so dearly that she could agree with him.
"Marrying him…will bring peace to my planet. It is good for everyone."
Lies.
"It's not good for you."
Robin stated, "…for either of you." He hastily added, a blush dusting his cheekbones at his slipup. But Starfire, having turned away, did not see it.
"Robin, if you cannot be happy for me. Perhaps, you should not attend my wedding."
"Starfire."
And there it was. The way Robin said her name whenever she was in danger. The way it seemed to be breaking open in heart wrenching pain and care. Starfire felt every fiber in her being constrict and howler all at once, because it was a tone she never wanted to hear in his voice.
But when she turned around to plea, to say something…anything, Robin was not there. Numbly, she went back to the mirror, beginning once more the long process or re-braiding her hair. The wedding dress flowing around her beautifully.
Danny was rapidly losing his patience. And when that went, usually it took buildings with it. Not that he'd ever been known for having patience. A fact Jazz had loved to remind him about. "You need to stop and take in the situation, or else you'll end up face planting into a brick wall…like that!"
Why she'd always given him advice when he'd been fighting would forever remain a mystery to him.
But already Danny had needed to chase off the two servants determined to clothe him…he could figure out how to put this stuff on. And no, they did not need to bathe him. He was dead, not dirty…thank you very much. Now, a middle aged woman, with her fiery red hair pulled high in a bun, with a scar running underneath one eye, who gave off the impression of a librarian, was fussing over the dos and don'ts of what to do once he was the King of Tamaran…or Consort…Danny hadn't quite figured out what the woman had called him. But judging from the way she kept eyeing him like a refined possession of Blackfire's, he was leaning towards the latter. Regardless of what miss Liberian quoted: 'we agree to be in harmony with', yeah right, was making him want to blow something up really bad.
"Alright, I get it: stand up straight, look pretty, and keep my mouth shut. I got it." He hissed.
Jeez, Danny was starting to worry if the Ghost Writer had stuck him in another one of his fairytale princess stories he was so fond of. And no, he was not going there. Tucker was the only soul who'd ever known that tale, and that would ever know.
To this X'nra sniffed, leveling him a pointed look which was worse than her looking down at him from her long nose with a cheerful smile.
"I think not. You will represent the might of our planet, like the great Si'npa, you will rest by the Empresses side, a promise and a threat. Forever embodying the Love and War of our culture."
Danny found himself staring at X'nra with disbelief at the iron belief she held in him.
"A Si'npa?" He asked dumbly, and to this X'nra rolled her eyes at his lack of knowledge.
"A great and noble beast, with wings pure white and eyes fiery green. It was said to have shown the Tamaranian people the gift of flight so that they could reach the Heavens to reside by X'hal, our goddesses' side. Guardians of the Otherworld."
"And what happened to these Si'npa?" He asked. Trying not to snort at the description, yeah, Blackfire wasn't playing up the symbolism at all, and he was definitely a Consort.
X'nra seemed to hesitate, her green eyes going distant. "They died when the people asked them to stay."
When Danny raised a single white eyebrow, X'nra seemed to straighten then, humped in response before she smiled. All traces of seriousness gone so fast it was like it never existed. Cheerfully looking down at him once more like a pesky, highbrow librarian, she took his forearms in her hands and wrapped beautiful dark silver metal gauntlets with spiraling designs of fire over his white gloves. Instantly, Danny felt the urge to blow something up all over again.
The guards dragged Robin through the underground cells with inhuman strength. Enough to hold a man three times his size. Not that it mattered. When they flung him into the prison that was more a simple energy shield, Robin stayed down, his fists clenched tight. How could he let this happen? Two booted feet stepped into his view and Cyborg's voice hummed deep in his chest, looking at his leader still kneeling on the floor.
"So, did you find Danny?"
"No. And I couldn't talk her out of it."
"Then I guess we're not invited to their weddings?" Beastboy questioned, watching as Robin stood up and gazed at them. Or rather through them with a lost look that hunched his shoulders.
"She has to marry him, for her people."
"No, she doesn't, and neither does Danny." Raven answered, her voice having bite to it as she said Phantom's name. Her eyes seeming to sharpen, looking like she was the one planning to beat him into the next afterlife.
"It's all a lie: the army, the war, everything. Blackfire set this whole thing up." Cyborg reported and Robin snapped to attention.
"Then we have to tell Starfire and Danny the truth, before it's too late."
Starfire was gazing at herself in the mirror once more. Her unruly hair twisted into a long ponytail that draped loosely down one shoulder, she looked stunning. Except for the small wisps of hair that refused to cooperate, even with all the small pins placed strategically around her head. She had yet to put on the betrothal crown.
"I have never seen a more beautiful bride." Galfor remarked, walking lightly in the room, a strange feat for one so big. But perhaps perfected from the many years of sneaking peeks into rooms to make sure the King and Queens children were sleeping soundly, and nightmare free. That seemed so long ago. Starfire wished deeply to fling herself in Old Galfor's arms and hide away. To be the small child she felt like at the moment.
Galfor settled the crown on the Princess, the metalwork highlighting her long, lean, almond shaped face, which held a look of sad maturity and resignation.
"Something troubles you, my little bumgorfu?" He asked.
Starfire carefully didn't look up. "Nothing troubles me…"
Galfor raised his hand to stay the rest of her words. "Do not attempt to fool and old K'norfka. I raised you. I have always expected great things from you, my Princess. Tonight is no exception."
"Yes, I will do what is right for Tamaran." Star answered and even to her ears it sounded parroted and false.
Gently, a strong hand lifted her chin, and Starfire felt her heart stutter at the look of old love. Of paternal love, burning in Galfor's eyes.
"You must do what is right; in your heart."
The doors opened, and the guards beckoned her to follow. It was time and the moon was beginning to set. With one strong hug she gave Galfor, Starfire flew from the room, ever looking the Princess she was.
Blackfire twirled in her midnight purple wedding dress. The Jewel of Charta resting ever so tantalizing on her armored breast. She looked stunning, and the folds of finely woven silks hid the worst of her scars while accenting the tarnished silver. For once, Blackstar resembled her name, and she felt giddy. Tonight would mark a new beginning. She would be rid of Kori, the throne of Tamaran forever hers, and Phantom would serve her; like a sword shinning decoratively on the wall, peaceful but looming. She would be absolute, and felt no remorse for her actions. At least, that's what she kept telling herself every time the doors would open and she'd brace herself, expecting to be met with glowing green eyes instead of forest green. After the tenth servant, she ordered no one disturb her.
"You know, they say if you stare into the depths of a mirror to long your soul will fall through and drown in its depths." Phantom stated easily. Appearing from nowhere in particular, causing Blackfire to jump in fright, before she plastered on a smirk.
"Narcissus, really? How…"any comeback she had died in her throat as she took in Phantom's attire. He was dressed in formal robes for a male in Tamaran. Which really wasn't a lot to begin with. But where skin should have been, sleek black material was instead, presenting itself like the underbelly of a Great Beast. Edging to a more feral appearance, animalistic as muscles shifted under the traditional open designs of polished silver armor resting on his shoulders, neck, arms, his feet in an outer form of boot that stopped to his knees. A long trailing black robe drifted behind his shoulders, parting like the wings of a bird, and lined with embroidered silver thread. At his hips black silk clasped by silver flowed downwards at a slightly tilting angle, longer on one side, stopping a hairs breath from brushing the ground.
But what really stole her breath away, was his crown. Where Blackfire and Starfire's were solid, a sign of who they were, and the bloodline they represented. Phantom's, like the rest of his outfit, had flowing flaming designs. The metal so thin she couldn't tell where it ended and his skin began as it wrapped around his face and up behind his ears. As if it were feathers growing out of his snow white hair, and with the scowl on his face, the tight set of his jaw and the blazing of those eyes, Phantom looked…regal, powerful. Caged.
"You're staring." Phantom commented, moving to stand by the door, agitation radiating from him.
In a rare bought of introspection, Blackfire felt foreboding prickle her nerves. X'nra had done an excellent job dressing him. He looked like a caged Si'npa. The ones who died away from being denied the right to fly. Who brought ruin to the leaders foolish enough to try and tether them down. And while power was what she craved, Blackfire held no illusions of the type of power she was attempting to grasp and what type of leader it would make her become.
"Do you think I'm evil?" Blackfire blurted out before realizing what she'd asked, but Phantom only rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Don't make yourself out to be the monster in this story Kom that never ends well."
"Sometimes it doesn't for the hero, either." She spoke. No small amount of venom in her voice, telling volumes of who she believed to be the hero.
Danny leveled her a glare. "Kori isn't the hero either, you only choose to believe that out of jealousy and sibling rivalry. Which granted, you've taken to a whole new level, but…"
"But what?" She pressed.
A sifting of shoulders, and black robes with silver trim caught the light and shimmered like the angry ruffling of feathers. Testing their wingspan before diving down to devour one's prey.
"If push comes to shove, you're not the one I'm standing by."
Blackfire felt petty satisfaction at telling him otherwise. For in fact, he would be standing beside her.
"Let's go, it's Moonset."
All was quite in the damp, dark prison below the castle. The only light coming from the energy fields keeping the criminals at bay. When in a fiery explosion, the Teen Titans cell burst open and they stood glowering at the guards, who charged at them with spears. They easily ran away when Beastboy turned into one of the giant guard dogs lining the entrance of the castle. Cy, Raven and Robin merely looked at the changeling in surprise.
"How did you know you could do that?" Cyborg asked while they ran up the stairs. Beastboy smiled and gave a small shrug while Robin roundhouse kicked some guards through the doorway.
"Lucky guess."
They were at the main gate when the strange earsplitting horns resounded throughout the halls. The ceremony was starting. Starfire would be wed first, being the end to a beginning. Robin let out a growl and flung himself into the fray of opponents, feeling his friends move behind him.
The processional to the dais was long and Starfire didn't look at the mass of people gazing to her with gratitude and hope. All openly admiring her beauty and grace, from what she could gather in their whispers, along with the fierce awe and wonder at the unearthly creature standing beside the Empress. Star kept her eyes forward. Locked on Danny's glowing green from where he stood beside Blackfire, and kept her arm clasped tightly in one of Galfor's as they moved further down where Glgrdsklechh sat on his floating chair. When they stopped at the foot of the stairs, Galfor took great pleasure in the way the disgusting liquid thing flinched away at his menacing growl, before he moved and the thing came to stand in his place. It was as the music stopped, Starfire realized she and Danny were alone.
"Where are our friends?"
Blackfire smirked, the two sisters' polar opposites in all appearances: from hair, eyes, skin, dress, and even their intendeds standing beside them. A show of power. One Starfire knew she now lacked, for the Skluredge made her look like a lamb being sacrificed for peace. And Danny, who, in the finest trappings and with the natural grace and glow he exuded, exalted Blackfire and made her the lioness. Her sister represented prosperity, and she a bad memory.
From the way Danny's eyes blazed, Starfire knew he was thinking the same thing. But how could he know of her sisters' tragic birth? She brushed it off. Danny would see all of this from a political standpoint. Not from the fact that Kom was attempting to rise to the heavens after being caged for so long. It made Kori's heart ache.
Blackfire moved down the steps, her voice dropping low. "Guess they had better things to do." Then her violet eyes lifted, and her voice filled the entire hall. "My humble servants, we meet at Moonset to bind my sister to this handsome young Skluredge in joyous betrothal. Can any living among us offer reason why these two lovebirds should not be together?"
Danny had to bite the inside of his cheek at the one word he cherished more than any other being used so mockingly. Granted, it took the better part of his life to get over the embarrassment of it when people would call him and Sam that. And he shot a glare at Kom's back for her wise choice in using the word living. Where the hell were Robin and the Titans? He'd at least hoped they'd have time to come up with a plan to get them the hell out of Dodge, and away from Blackfire before the weddings.
When silence prevailed around the hall Blackfire smiled. "Didn't think so. Then do you Glgrdsklechh, take Starfire to be your wife as decreed by the Grand Ruler of Tamaran?"
The green blob gave off some strange wheezing snorts that made Starfire cringe while Danny's eyes slowly began to darken in fury, knowing the thing was saying, 'I do'.
"And do you, Starfire, take Glgrdsklechh to be your husband?"
"I…"
Blackfire leaned forward in anticipation. "Yes, sister dear?"
It was then a resounding thump filled the room.
"Starfire!"
Everyone turned to gaze up at the windows where Robin was battling the guards three times his strength and Starfire gasped while the Tamaranian people began to mummer in unease.
"Silence!" Blackfire screamed, fists clenched and movements agitated as she glowered at her little sister. She pointed fiercely to the Skluredge.
"Do you wish to do what is right and take this thing to be your husband?"
The balance of power was tipping. This was her only chance, Starfire glared up at her big sister.
"I do not."
Blackfire screamed and her eyes went crimson, a starbolt sent Starfire hurtling backwards, crashing into the carpet aisle.
"Treason. I thought we agreed you'd do what is best for Tamaran, little sister. You will marry the Skluredge." Blackfire growled, floating down the stairs. Her people all stepping back as the sisters stood against the other. The sound of double doors being thrown open, then the Teen Titans came rushing in. Robin at the head of the group, a thunderous scowl on his face.
"It's a trick, all of it. Blackfire's been lying to everyone."
The crowd gasped and Starfire turned electric green eyes on her sister, tearing the marriage crown from her face and throwing it at Blackfire's feet, her long braid beginning to unravel making her appear like a righteous goddess.
"You are not what's best for Tamaran."
"You dare challenge the Grand Ruler?"
"I challenge my sister, for the crown."
Then in a fury the two attacked, faster than vipers as they struck one another. The palace walls crumbling beneath them as the people below watched on in baited breath. When Blackfire kicked her sister into another room Robin rushed forward, sharpened blades already in hand.
"Starfire!"
"Hold." Galfor ordered as he held out one arm. Danny descending the steps to take his place next to the old warrior.
"If anyone interferes, the challenge is void. The Princess will lose."
"'Sides, are girl can handle herself." Cyborg answered reassuringly.
Beastboy then got a good look at Danny and his eyes bugged out. "Dude, what the heck are you wearing?!"
Danny shot him an icy glare, "Well, if you guys hadn't taken your sweet time getting here."
The changeling paled a little and moved to stand behind Raven whose fingers were itching like she wanted to rip the halfas face off. Or zap it with black magic, it made Danny nervous and he shifted his weight subtly away from her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
A boom filled the air, followed by the very foundations of the building quaking, and the team rushed along with the majority of the people to the giant hole in the floor where the sisters were throwing starbolts and furniture at each other. But after a long brigade of starbolts by Starfire nothing seemed to get through to Blackfire. And the elder sister smirked in gloating pride, tapping the Jewel set in the armor on her wedding dress.
"The Jewel of Charta, I'm invincible."
Everyone winced when Blackfire threw a frickin' pillar at Star.
"Besides Starfire, you'll always be my little sister."
Starfire turned burning eyes towards her, fiery hair undone, her dress covered in dust and grim and sweat, and she still managed to look breathtaking as she rose from the ground.
"I am not so little anymore." She growled before blasting Blackfire with her eyes, then they went tumbling down into the caverns of the palace. The Tamaranian people quickly going back to stand in the hall, waiting for the Princesses to return. And sure enough, both came up through the floor of the dais, Starfire on her knees, while Blackfire hovered over her. Her own wedding dress equally destroyed and billowing around her.
"That's right, bow down before your Grand Ruler."
"You may be the ruler of this planet, but you are not the ruler of me!"
Starfire lunged, her palm outstretched and reaching, and in a flash of red energy the girls were blown apart. It wasn't until Blackfire saw the broken shards of jewel resting in Starfire's hand that she realized what her sister had done.
Then in a hail of green light, Starfire threw starbolt after starbolt until her palms burned from the friction, only letting up when the smoke obscured her view. She and the people of her planet waited. Until there, still standing with burning violet eyes, Blackfire collapsed on the dais, her crown slipping off and falling between them. The tension was malleable in the air, the winner obvious. Tet Starfire made no move to pick up the heavy piece of metal.
Everyone started when Danny began to walk forward. The Tamaranian's emotions being pulled tighter than piano wires and in a strange sense of confusion, the Teen Titans watched as the crown turned green and lifted up into Danny's hands. An expressionless mask firmly in place except for the way those eyes blazed.
Realizing what he was offering. Starfire felt her heart quicken. But she tipped her head forward nonetheless when Danny came to stand in front of her, and she felt cold fingers place the burden in place. When she opened her eyes, they were once more filled with thanks. It was hard knowing what she had to do. But almost in a daze, Starfire remembered ice blue eyes so soft, filled with understanding, as a hurting boy helped a lost girl who was caught in indecision, out of the trash bin, brushing the banana peel from her hair. Offering her his allegiance while her sister stole the rest. "You're far from okay."
Then Danny had bowed and walked away. Only now he stayed, kneeling at her feet, while a strangled sound of betrayal tore from Blackfire's throat behind him. But it was a sound Phantom paid no mind, and one Starfire ignored. Her sister had started down a dangerous path in choosing Danny, and Starfire wasn't above accepting his help to obtain this goal from what he represented.
"The challenge is complete. Tamaran has a new leader. And of this I ask: Phantom, to whom will you bless?"
Danny looked up with a mischievous smile meant only for Starfire. "I bless the one who sets me free."
His voice rang throughout the Hall.
The air in the entire room seemed nonexistent. All eyes focused on the Queen dressed in White, and with sure hands Starfire took the crown of flaming feathers and broke it in half with a decisive snap. Power then seemed to poor out of Phantom, his aura a living thing.
"Then I release you from your servitude to my people, and that of my sister."
Phantom stood up then, all sharp movements, his robes flying about, entangling in the long train of Starfire's dress, a Si'npa spreading its wings.
"Then my allegiance is yours. You are the Ruler of Tamaran."
His voice echoed in and of itself, needing no extra help to carry in sound and at his words the Tamaranian people burst into thunderous praises. Stamping their feet, raising their hands and singing Starfire's name.
In the midst of all the cheers no one noticed Blackfire's stricken face as she looked on the celebration of her people. Once more leaving her behind as the guards restrained her. But slightly shifting, Phantom caught Komand'r's eyes and in them, she saw they held no sympathy, only the silent message, "I told you where me allegiance lies."
Then he turned away. Angled towards her sister, who indeed embodied purity of power, the Si'npa at her side.
It was as she was being taken away, Blackfire wondered if Danny thought she was still free of the title called monster.
Starfire felt the waves of joy resounding around her. Lifting her spirits, acting as a balm unto her weary soul, and in the high she turned to meet one sullen looking Skluredge.
"I am sorry, Glurgg…glurrr…you, but there shall be no wedding." At his acknowledgment, she smiled. "Yet I wish to ask thee a favor, could you provide a ship?" The green blob tilted his head but after a moment acquiesced. Not willing to sacrifice potential ties of trade with this planet, before he turned and floated away to make preparations.
Still, as the people began to leave and repair the castle. Galfor storming about, barking orders while managing to simultaneously look menacing and comforting all at once, Starfire felt one gaze burn into the back of her head, making her heart ache in the worst way possible.
Robin.
She turned to meet his eyes and partially outstretched hand. "So now that you rule the planet, I guess that means you'll be staying here." He stated, the end of his voice breaking.
"The T-Ship will be repaired in two days time, and…I must do what is right for Tamaran."
With this she walked away. Danny following down the hall, past the Tamaranian people who would stop and kneel, leaving the rest of the Titans feeling lost and disjointed.
Beastboy was the first to bring it up. "So what just happened? Is Star really not coming and why is Danny acting all…like that?" He asked gesturing towards the halfa as he disappeared down the hall and out the double doors.
Cyborg scratched his head. "Obviously we're missing some pretty big cultural clues that he picked up on."
"That's no excuse for him to ditch us." Raven snapped, yanking her hood up and BB and Cy blinked at her then smirked.
"Ah…weren't you the one who said we shouldn't interfere with their culture?" Beastboy chimed and Raven's eyes could have frozen Hell.
"In case you hadn't noticed, Danny is still a member of Earth and not a member of Tamaran." She hissed, for once her anger doing nothing to deter the two teens, only aiding in their split-eating smirks.
"Jealous?" Cyborg sang, then screamed as he fell through the floor and Beastboy had to seek refuge behind a nice looking Tamaranian girl with a long ponytail, and armor far more revealing than Starfire's.
"Hey, where'd Rob go?"
"I believe he mumbled something along the lines of needing air." Galfor replied, helping Cyborg out of the floor. A thoughtful expression on the old K'norfka's face.
Cy's eyes darkened in understanding, before he shook his head and grinned. "Now about repairing my ship…I'll need,"
Cyborg went on rambling, ordering whoever would listen about, nearly as bad as the Old Warrior.
Danny found Starfire sitting on her windowsill, dressed in her traditional armor. The crown resting in her lap, collecting droplets of water from her wet hair, back pressed against the stone, eyes overlooking the mountains.
Silently, he joined her, listening to the faint sounds of celebration still going on in the city below where her people were flying about.
"I…wish to thank you for your support, friend Danny."
Danny snorted and nudged her lightly with his white boot. "Star, stop with the formalities. I did what I thought was right and took some pretty wild guesses on how to go about making sure a civil war didn't start with you beating the daylights out of Blackfire."
Starfire met his eyes then and gave a watery smile. "My people are driven by emotion. But we tend to forgive easily, choosing to love instead of fight. And you did very well…where did you get that crown?"
"Oh, this? I asked X'nra to make it from an ice design I formed. It seemed fitting since I'm supposed to represent a Si'npa or something. You don't like it?" He asked suddenly unsure but Starfire quickly shook her head. Her eyes holding an almost reverence as she took it in hand.
"No. It is lovely. It reminds me of my families crest, modeled after the sweeping clouds that surround the storms."
Gently, she handed it back to Danny who looked at it. The sweeping feather designs that wrapped around his ears and up had a softer edge. Instead of framing his face, it was only connected by a thin strip of metal running across his forehead, a circle with a red jewel inside, something X'nra had added.
"Huh, I just figured since you broke the last one, this shows my 'allegiance and freedom' all in one."
Star giggled at Danny using air quotes before his green eyes turned serious.
"What are you planning to do?"
"I…"
Her voice died and she looked down at her own crown. After a time, Danny let out a sigh and hopped down. The only Tamaranian armor on him was the crown, shoulder, and arm gauntlets, now modeled after the new headpiece and Starfire still found him reminding her of the Great Bird.
"First, how about we figure out what to do with your sister?"
Nodding, she followed him. Placing on her own crown and attaching her long purple robe while Danny waited patiently by the door.
The underground security had been tightened after the Titans escape, and it still remained as dark and cold as it always had been. Aside from the prisoners whispering eagerly amongst themselves. Apparently news travelled fast, even to those locked out of sight. Blackfire was the easiest to find, her cell in the darkest part, hands bound in front by energy dampeners.
Her head snapped up immediately to glare at Starfire and Danny.
"If you've come to gloat sister dear, I'm decidedly not in the mood right now, so…"
"Sister."
Starfire's voice halted Blackfire in her tracks as she took in those tormented green eyes.
"I have come to administer your sentence." She said, her shoulders squaring in resolution.
Blackfire leered. "What are you going to do? Slap me on the wrist, tell me not to do it again?"
"I am banishing you from Tamaran."
Blackfire felt like the world dropped out from beneath her feet, and suddenly she was standing, rushing at the barrier.
"Banished? You must be joking, where am I supposed to live? Where am I to go?"
"I do not know. But when the Teen Titans leave, you will as well. The Skluredge has agreed to give you a ship, and where you go is up to you."
For a long moment Blackfire glared at Starfire, before she turned away so as not to alert her little sister of the hot tears prickling her eyes.
"So, this is to be my punishment?" She whispered with finality.
"No. This is to be your redemption. You said Earth has changed me, and it has. Perhaps you will find a home that does the same. Then one day you can return and rule our people like the Empress you were meant to be."
With this Kori turned away, and Kom was left to meet Danny's knowing eyes.
Purity.
Blackfire sank to her knees as he joined Starfire. When no one was watching, Blackfire let the tears fall.
"Yes, I guess I've always hated this place."
Two days passed in a blur of preparation for a party which would last seven days and nights, Danny noted tiredly. And he thought Queen Dorris and her 'we must celebrate this new age for three days' had been bad. At least there he could pick up the damn mugs. And in all that time neither he nor Starfire saw much of the rest of the Titans except in passing as they went about repairing the T-Ship. Until on the Moonset of the second night, they met on the balcony overlooking the city. The Tamaranian people all below, hovering off the ground, cheerfulness a tangible thing, white flower petals flowing through the air.
Old Galfor stepped forward, a broad smile on his haggard face. "All hail Empress Starfire and Si'npa Phantom!"
The crowds erupted in cheers.
Starfire gave a beautiful smile and raised her hand for silence.
"Someone very wise once told me to listen to my heart, and so I overthrew my sister, because for now, she is not best for Tamaran. And now, my heart is telling me that I am also not best for Tamaran."
A collective gasp ran out through the crowd while the Teen Titans seemed to straighten. Robin for the first time in two days seemed to come to life.
But the crowd stilled at Starfire's peaceful smile. "My life, and my heart is on Earth just as Si'npa's. That is where we belong. But before we part, I will place you, my people, in good hands. The hands that cared for me as a child…" With this Starfire lifted her crown and flew up to a surprised Galfor and placed the crown upon his head.
"All hail Emperor Galfor!"
Like a rising tide, the people sang Galfor's name and fireworks and music began. The party kicked off with a bang.
Finally, after three long days, Danny and Starfire came over to rejoin their friends' sides. Along with Blackfire, who was sulking next to her ship, yet there was a twinkle in her violet eyes.
"Let us now return to Earth please, I am feeling the sick for my home. My real home." Star admitted and Robin pulled her in a tight hug, not even caring at the guards, who started pulling out sharp spears.
"I'm glad you'll be staying with the Titans for a long time… and not getting married." He whispered, before heading to the ship.
Princess Kori smiled. "Yes, the next time I shall choose my own husband. Who is to know, perhaps there is a groom for me on Earth." With this she hugged Galfor.
Danny was about to follow when a firm hand settled on his shoulder and he tried not to squeak in fear as Galfor got down on one knee and eyed him seriously.
"You will make sure he treats her well, Si'npa?" Galfor asked speaking in a tone that reminded Danny of his Dad when Jonny 13 had tried courting his sister. To make it worse, the Old K'norfka shot a look at Robin, and Danny felt his face flush green in a blush…something he didn't even think was possible.
"Um…yes, sir?" He then beat a hasty retreat to Raven's side who gave him an odd look but said nothing.
Cyborg then let out a booming laugh. "All right y'all, when we get home, I'm making us up some waffles!"
"And let's hurry, I couldn't figure out how to use the bathrooms in this place!"
"We are not having any accidents in the T-Ship, you hear me!"
The Titans were about to get in the ship when Blackfire called out Danny's name. All of them turned, and right as he was about to snap at her to kindly…get lost, a pair of hands grasped his armor and warm lips connected to his. Danny's mind promptly imploded.
Blackfire pulled away, hovering a hairs breath from him, a laughing smirk in her violet eyes.
"That's for calling me a prude."
She was already in her ship when he screamed, "I said you dressed like a prude, not kiss like one!" He then froze, realizing that that had come out wrong and gave the rest of the slack jawed Titans the wrong impression.
"No…I mean, we were fighting and…"
"Dude, masochistic much."
"Do you even know what that means?!" Danny howled, his eyes and fists deadly green and Beastboy leapt into the ship, fearing for his life.
History:
I've combined Starfire and Blackfire's history from three different storylines:
The one in the 1980s where Blackfire was a firm but just ruler if a little Xenophobic, I'm taking more bits from this timeline later on, but right now that's all you need.
In the TV show where she was immature for the struggle in gaining power.
And in the New 52 timeline where her and Starfire have a rocky but semi-repaired relationship.
A Si'npa: is a creature of my own design. Birdlike so as to appear as Blackfire noted: angelic or divine. But it is similar to the mythical Qilin in Chinese legends. It is said the Qilin would appear in a land ruled by a benevolent ruler. It is gentle but punishes the evil ruthlessly. It also withers and dies if the King starts to fail his people, and then brings ruin to the kingdom at its death. The Qilin is much like proof of the King's or in this case, Queens 'right to rule', also called the 'Mandate from Heaven."
Politics: Something that caught my eye in the New 52 world was when Jason Todd made the comment that if a Terran (person born on Earth) killed an alien, they wouldn't be punished. This got me thinking and that's where the Intergalactic Laws came from, so I then wondered, "Where would Danny fall?" I'm mainly putting this in my story to raise the 'what if' questions of inalienable rights, and civil rights which fight for them. So as of right now, by law Danny is classified not only as being dead, but also an alien (since him being known as a meta or halfa would be bad) but because of this, as Blackfire pointed out the unspoken rules that exist is 'he has no rights' which may or may not come back further along in the story.
When Starfire remembers Danny saying, "You're far from okay." That's in chapter two: A Dream of Sisters.
Names:
Komand'r or Kom, is Blackfire
Koriand'r or Kori, is Starfire
The Great Beast or Great Bird are terms interchangeable for the word Si'npa
AN: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review.
~Rin