We open to the Teen Titans at a video store looking for something to rent.
Cyborg was in the science fiction section looking at the Star Battles collection. "Man, why don't they have the box set for the original trilogy." Cyborg complained. "Sure the prequels may have been bad, but at least they felt planned out. The sequel trilogy, just stick to one director."
Kid Flash ran up to Cyborg with a Star Battles box set. "I've got the original trilogy right here."
"Aww dude!" Cyborg groaned. "Where did you find it?!"
"The action section."
"It's not even action based!" Cyborg exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Beast Boy was in the horror section looking for the perfect scary movie.
"Come on." Beast Boy complained. "Where's The Kindly Dead 2?!"
"Two shelves up." Replied the Terra hallucination.
The green teen took his hallucination's advice and looked up to see the Kindly Dead 2: Alive by Dawn. "So it is." Beast Boy grabbed the DVD and then said, "Thanks."
He noticed Jinx was standing outside the aisle looking at him with an eyebrow raised, even though she didn't have any. Beast Boy puts on a nervous smile and lied, "I was thanking my animal instincts."
Jinx continued to stare at her teammate with her invisible eyebrow raised. "Riiiiiiiiiiiight." She said.
Raven on the other hand was just standing by a cardboard cutout of the monster from Wicked Scary not caring about what's going on. Jinx approached the empath with a DVD in her hand.
"Found anything interesting?" Asked Raven.
"Just When Barry Met Callie for movie night."
"We aren't having movie night though, it's those two over there." Raven points to Robin and Starfire, who were in the romance section looking for a movie to watch together.
"I know, but Wally's arranged a movie night for the rest of us." Jinx explained.
Raven raised an eyebrow at Jinx and asked, "Who's Wally?"
Jinx realised her mistake and hesitantly said, "I mean Kid Flash. Wally was this guy I knew."
Raven's suspicious eyebrow rose higher and she just said, "Right."
Meanwhile, Robin and Starfire were looking at DVDs in the romantic section. Robin was looking at a movie called Wicked Romance. "How about this one, Star?" Robin asked his girlfriend.
Starfire turned to face her boyfriend to see what the movie was. "No thank you Robin." Starfire replied.
"What is it your looking for?" Robin asked, being very patient with his girlfriend.
"I am looking for what people consider to be the greatest romance movie of all time."
"But Star, we already watched Love on the Docks." Robin said with a fake pout.
Starfire gave her boyfriend a smirk. "Robin, if I recall it is my choice for the night of movie."
Robin raised his hands in a mock defence. "Alright, alright. What's the movie you're looking for?"
"Gone With the Whirlwind." Starfire replied with a smile.
"Gone With the Whirlwind." Robin repeated with his eyes going wide.
"Gone With the Whirlwind, oh yes I remember that movie. I was there at the premier back in 1949." The Titans looked to where the voice was coming from. And standing beside the action section, was the time travelling villain, Warp.
"Warp!" Cyborg hissed.
"That is right. I am back from being unfrozen for an eternity by you Titans." Warp explained.
The Titans got in attack position, intent on taking out the time travel villain.
"Encountering you was inevitable." Robin said, adjusting his bo staff. "How did you get out?"
"That question will be answered some other time. Right now, I have one goal I need all the time in the world to complete: Revenge!" Warp fired a blast from his chest that the Titans quickly avoided.
Starfire fired off a star bolt at Warp, but he quickly dodged it and fired off another blast. Beast Boy turned into a tiger to pounce at the villain, but the time travelling villain punched the green tiger in the face.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven used her magic to throw a shelf full of DVDs at the time travelling villain, but he quickly blasted it to pieces.
Jinx hid behind a shelf, snapped her fingers and sent DVD discs flying towards the time travelling villain. He quickly activated a shield and but some shards hit his armour. He fired a blast at the pink haired sorceress, but she was saved by Kid Flash at the last minute, who carried her bridal style.
Beast Boy turned into a Sasquatch, picked up Warp by the leg and tossed him to one of the shelves.
The time travelling villain stood back up, but before he fired a shot, Kid Flash grabbed him by his arm. The time travelling villain quickly did a back head butt on the speedster.
Cyborg used his plasma cannon to try and hit Warp, but the time travelling villain fired a shot at the same time causing their beams to clash.
"Sorry Warp, your time has just about ran out." Cyborg quipped.
"Not mine." Warp replied before powering up his beam to hit Cyborg, causing him to crash into a shelf.
Robin threw a birdarang at the time travelling villain, but he quickly disintegrated it. "Was that the best you could do?" Asked Warp.
"That wasn't my best." Said Robin.
Just as Robin said that, the time travelling villain got blasted from behind by Starfire and just as Warp was flying towards him, the boy wonder kicked him in his chest right in his power source.
Warp pulled a panicked look on his face as he started ageing backwards similar to what happened to him in How Long Is Forever. He shrunk down so that there was only his clothes and a baby left.
The Titans stared down at the clothes just as a baby crawled out and started crying.
"Ok dudes, I am not changing his diapers." Said Beast Boy.
"Maybe my aunt and uncle could look after him, they always wanted children." Kid Flash suggested.
"I don't know if they'll be ok with looking after a criminal baby." Cyborg commented.
"We'll take Warp to an orphanage so he can hopefully be taken care of by a loving foster family." Robin explained to his team.
"And don't forget to leave out the used to be villain part of the story." Beast Boy suggested.
"I was thinking of that Beast Boy."
"Glorious job with the kicking, boyfriend Robin." Starfire's compliment made Robin smile while blushing at the same time.
"Thanks Star, you did good as well." Robin replied.
"Shall we continue with our search for tonight's movie?"
"It's over." The Titans turned to face Raven fearing what she meant by it.
"What's over?" Asked Starfire.
"Your search for the movie." Raven replied as she showed the movie to Starfire, who happily snatched it from her hand.
"Raven! I have looked everywhere for this movie, oh thank you. Thank you!" Starfire pulled Raven into a bone crushing.
"How did you find it Raven?" Asked Robin.
"I crashed into the war section and there it was." Raven replied.
"Thanks Rae, you're a life saver." Kid Flash said while placing a friendly hand in her back. "I don't know what would've happened if we didn't find the movie."
"There's always Kindly Dead 2: Alive by Dawn." Beast Boy pulled the DVD out of his pocket, but it was unfortunately split in two.
"More like Kindly Dead Split in 2." Jinx quipped.
Beast Boy stared at the broken DVD, dropped to his knees and screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" At the top of his lungs while the other Titans just watched on.
"This isn't a movie, stop being dramatic." Raven said before she slapped Beast Boy in the back of the head.
"Now come on Ya'll, we got all the Star Battles thanks to Kid Flash while we just leave the love birds to do their business." Cyborg said to the team while Robin rolled his eyes behind his mask at his bionic teammate calling him and Starfire 'Lovebirds.'
Just as they were leaving along with the baby Warl, Kid Flash caught sight of a bronze ball and picked it up. "One word: Souvenir." Kid Flash said to himself.
Back at the tower, Robin was looking for the remote while Starfire was placing a bowl of popcorn in the microwave.
"Hey Star." Robin shouted as he stuck his hand underneath the sofa.
"Yes Robin." Starfire shouted from the kitchen.
"Has Silkie by any chance, eaten the remote again? Because I can't find it."
"I do not know." Starfire picked up Silkie and jammed her hand in her little bumgorfs mouth to find the remote. Starfire smiled and pulled the remote out of her pet larva's mouth. "Boyfriend Robin!" Starfire threw the remote at her boyfriend and caught it in his hand.
"Nice throw." Robin said complimenting his girlfriend.
"I thank you." Starfire said as she pulled the bowl of popcorn out of the microwave.
"Are you sure about this movie Star?" Robin asked while holding the DVD. "It lasts for nearly four hours. I don't think you'd manage to sit through it."
Starfire flew to the couch with the popcorn in hand and sat next to her boyfriend. "Are being the forgetful Robin? It is my choice."
"Ok, you win Star." Robin sighed in mock defeat.
Robin jumped off the couch and put the DVD in the DVD player. Starfire then heard some munching and saw that Silkie was devouring the remote yet again. "Silkie!" Starfire picked up her little larva and shook the remote out of his mouth before he could swallow it.
Robin jumped back on the couch and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. "We ought to put the remote in a much higher place."
"Then we'd have Cyborg and Beast Boy destroying the tower again." Starfire giggled.
"You ready to start the movie?" Robin asked while pointing the remote at the screen.
Starfire squeezed some mustard on the popcorn and replied, "Of course Robin."
Robin pressed the play button on the remote and the movie began. During the opening titles, he and Starfire shared a quick kiss with each other before snuggling up and watching the movie.
As the movie progressed, there were scenes of a young woman arguing with an older gentleman who looked like her father, a young woman making small talk with an older man, scenes of war and the woman and the older gentleman having a baby together; all while Robin and Starfire snuggled up while sharing the bowl of popcorn, covered in mustard which Robin actually liked.
Approximately three hours and fifty-two minutes later, Robin was fast asleep while Starfire was really invested with the movie she was watching.
In the movie, there was a woman in a red dress begging her older moustached husband, not to go.
"You manipulated me, you played me for a fool and you've been seeing other men behind my back!" The man in the movie angrily shouted at his desperate wife.
"Please Richard, what will I do?! Where will I go?!" The woman asked, begging for her husband to stay despite the awful things she has done to him.
"Frankly my dear, you can go back into the house and sign the divorce papers." The man replied before walking away with the briefcase in hand, just as the words "The end" appeared on screen.
The tragic ending made Starfire's eyes go wide in surprise. "That is it?" Starfire exclaimed.
Robin yawned and noticed the credits rolling. "Oh, it's over?" Robin jumped off the couch and started staring at his orange girlfriend, who looked a little shook up. "How was the movie Star? Did I miss anything?"
Starfire's eyes were still wide at the ending, but she did reply, "Yes, very good Robin. Best romance movie ever." Starfire lied. "Yes, the couple kissed and then the credits did the rolling." Starfire gave her boyfriend a huge smile and he raised a curious eyebrow.
"Are you sure Star?" Robin asked. "Because I heard the movie ended differently and tragically."
"No. It did not." Starfire lied.
"Ok." Robin stretched his arms up and yawned. "Right, I better be going to bed. I'll see you in the morning." Robin approached his girlfriend and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, all while she stood in place still thinking about the ending. Robin exited the room so he could go get some sleep.
Starfire sighed and picked up Silkie. "Oh Silkie, forgive me for being so...afraid." Starfire apologised to the sleeping larva. "The ending to the movie has made me afraid that something similar might happen to me and Robin in the future." Starfire had tears roll down her face as the thought of Robin dumping her came to her head.
The next day.
Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Kid Flash and Jinx were at the breakfast bar, eating some waffles with syrup on top, while Beast Boy had tofu on his.
"Man, how can you stand that stuff?!" Cyborg asked, criticising Beast Boy's love of tofu.
"Are we going to discuss how much tofu sucks again?" Raven asked, not wanting him and Beast Boy to get into another tofu debate.
"What?" Shrugged Beast Boy. "You know I love tofu, especially on waffles."
"Tofu on waffles looks disgusting." Commented a disgusted Jinx.
"Sounds like a very good combo." Kid Flash said while Jinx pulled a disgusted look at him.
Starfire entered the kitchen still looking shook up about the ending.
"Hey Star, how was the movie?" Asked Jinx.
Starfire put on a forced smile, turned to Jinx and replied, "Oh yes, it was most romantic. Perhaps you and Kid Flash would be interested."
The Titans all noticed that Starfire's smile seemed force and stared at each other unconvinced with Starfire's response.
"Anyway, I thought we should be discussing what to do with the empty room we have next to the closet." Kid Flash said, changing the subject.
"Should or could?" Raven asked. "The correct term Kid Flash, is could."
"Come on Rae, you know it's important."
"What's important?" Asked Cyborg.
"Well, I had the idea when I got something from our battle from Warp." Kid Flash replied.
"Did you steal evidence?" Beast Boy asked. "Robin's not going to be happy about it, dude."
"Well, it has one word and three syllables." Kid Flash placed a bronze orb on the table which got some stares from the Titans. "And that is, souvenir."
"He wants to build a souvenir room." Raven explained just as Robin entered the lounge.
"Morning everyone." Robin greeted with a smile.
"So lovebird, how was your movie?" Cyborg asked while fluttering his pretend eyelashes.
"I fell asleep by the three hour mark." Robin replied. "But Starfire loved it."
Starfire noticed Robin gave him a nod and sat down with her fellow Titans. Robin noticed his girlfriend looked like she wasn't being her normal self and decided to sit next to her.
"Starfire, are you ok?" Robin asked while placing a comforting hand on hers.
Starfire gave Robin a forced smile and lied, "Yes, I am well boyfriend Robin. Nothing distresses me." Robin gave his girlfriend and unsure look, knowing something is wrong.
"Star, is there something wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
Starfire only stared at Robin, still looking quite worried. She flew off the table and straight to the couch, with Robin following.
"Star, please tell me what's wrong." Robin begged while the other Titans watched.
Starfire sighed and took a breath. "Robin, it's about the movie we watched last night."
"Why? I thought you loved it."
"I did, but the ending made me do the thinking."
The Titans all stared wide eyed at what they think Starfire was doing, they're fearing she's going to break up with Robin, even the boy wonder felt the same fear from his teammates. "Star, you're not doing what I-"
"Robin no, I am not." Starfire assured her boyfriend. "It is a question that has been in my head for quite some time."
Robin gently held his girlfriend by the hand and said in a gentle voice, "Tell me."
Starfire stared at her boyfriend before talking. "The movie actually ended with the couple being not together. And it made me question: Will we ever do the breaking up in the future?"
Robin froze after Starfire's question, since he didn't know how to answer that. One part of him really wanted to say, "No we will not" and another wanted him to be a little honest and say "Well, there could be a chance in the possible future" but instead he just said "Uh..."
At the table, Cyborg looked nervous, Beast Boy was sitting wide eyed with a tofu waffle on his fork, Raven staring at the two with boredom, Jinx staring at the sight kind of nervous what Robin's answer might be, while Kid Flash was staring at the sight while playing with the ball.
Robin continued to stare at Starfire, unable to answer her question. Starfire was standing in place feeling bored by how long it's taking for Robin to get an answer, and scared for what the answer could be.
Kid Flash was so in tuned with watching Robin trying to come up with an answer that he didn't notice he pushed a button on the bronze orb he was carrying. The orb made a beeping noise that made Kid Flash realise it wasn't a random orb, it was a bomb.
"Get down, it's a bomb!" Kid Flash shouted as he ducked with the other Titans and threw the bomb at the window, intending to throw it out. But it instead bounced off the window and landed near Robin and Starfire. Before the two could react, the bomb exploded causing the two to be affected by the blast.
The smoke cleared and the Titans jumped out of their hiding places. "A bomb?!" Beast Boy yelled at Kid Flash in anger. "You snuck a bomb in our tower?!"
"How was I supposed to know it was a bomb?!" Kid Flash argued.
"I don't know. Maybe check or get some evidence!!!"
"This might sound crazy, but I agree with Beast Boy." Raven responded.
"How is that crazy?!" Asked Beast Boy.
"You're lucky you didn't kill us Kid Flash." Said Cyborg. "Because if I died and you survived, I would haunt you for the rest of your life."
"Guys..." Jinx interjected. "...Where's Robin and Starfire?" Jinx pointed to where Robin and Starfire were standing and realised they weren't there anymore, neither was the couch.
The Titans all glared at Kid Flash, thinking he recklessly killed their leader and his girlfriend. Kid Flash then stared at the spot where Starfire and Robin were, fearing for what he did to them. "I hope that was a grenade that sent them to either the future or the past or 20 minutes later."
Elsewhere.
Starfire crash landed in a dark alleyway right beside some trash cans after being hit by a blast. Starfire stood up and analyses her surroundings, she flies around a bit and sees that Jump City looked more like Gotham than Jump City. Since it looked a crime infested haven with the dilapidated buildings and some were up in smoke.
"Oh, I hope this is not what has happened when me and Robin disappeared." Starfire said to herself. She looked around the city trying to catch a glimpse of her boyfriend. "Robin! Robin! Robin! Robin!"
She started to fly around the city, to try and catch a glimpse of her boyfriend. While flying around, she gets caught in a net and crashes on to the ground. She attempted to blast herself out of the predicament she unwittingly got herself in, but the net somehow emitted some kind of energy that made her powerless.
"Well, well, well." Said a goon with face paint that looked similar to Slade's mask being followed by other goons with the same face paint. "If it ain't Starfire."
"Release me or suffer the consequences!" Starfire angrily demanded.
"We will, once we take you out!" A goon said while rubbing a crowbar against his face.
Just as Starfire closed her eyes to prepare for incoming pain, the goon's weapon disappeared when a red blur past him. "What?"
"Is this your crowbar?!" Suddenly, a crowbar hit the goon in the chest. The other goons prepared to attack, but they got knocked down by the red blur. A goon pulled a gun out but then a green arrow shot the gun out of the goon's hand, disarming him so the red blur could finish him off.
Starfire stared at the unconscious goons, unsure of what just happened. "What has happened?" Starfire asked.
"Starfire, when did you get so young?" Asked the familiar voice of Kid Flash.
"Friend Kid Flash, what do you mean by that question?" Starfire asked just as a man in a red spandex suit and mask used some wire cutters to free Starfire from her trap. Starfire stood up and stared at her saviour, unsure of who he was.
"Who are you?" Starfire asked.
The Flash raised a brow and said, "You've honestly never heard of the Flash?"
"Should I?" Asked Starfire.
"Well, I've had a picture of him by my bedside when we were in Titans Tower."
Starfire's eyes widened when she realised who the Flash was to her. "Friend Kid Flash?!"
Flash chuckled. "Kid Flash has retired, I'm the Flash now."
Starfire stared at the grown speedster a little confused. "Is this what happened when me and Robin vanished?"
"No, it just happened. And you two didn't vanish, well you did for 10 years after you and Robin broke up." Starfire gasped at the Flash's explanation.
"Why did we do the breaking up?"
"Well, you asked him if there was a chance you two would break up and he just stood there going "Uh..." Flash explained. "A few days after that, you two broke up and you flew away."
"Please, this has to be the ruse. Even if me and Robin did the breaking up, I would never leave Earth."
"Well, you did. And you...well, future you, recently got back." The Flash explained.
Behind them a goon woke up from his unconscious state and started pulling a gun out at the Flash, who was still talking to Starfire.
"After you left things got a little strange. Not just with Robin, but with-" Starfire interrupted the Flash when she pushed him out of the way and aimed her starbolt at the goon, but the armed man gets caught in a net.
The Flash turned around and smiled at the goon in the net, smirking at his comeuppance. Just then, a blonde woman with a ponytail dressed in a green spandex suit and mask landed in front of the two.
"I know you haven't seen your friend for years, but how about less chatting?" The blonde woman suggested.
"Artemis, you know me. I can't help but get chatty." The Flash retorted.
"Um, friend Kid Flash-"
"Flash." The Flash interjected Starfire.
"Um...Friend Flash, who is this?" Asked Starfire.
"Oh, where are my manners?" The Flash asked himself. "Starfire this is Artemis, she's my wife." Starfire's eyes went wide with shock by the news from her fellow Titan, now grown up.
"Yeah, surprising." Said Artemis. "Married for three years and people always ask how I managed to stay with him."
"But I thought you had the feelings for Jinx." Starfire said.
"Jinx..." Flash started to rub the back of his head. "...that didn't last long. We agreed we were better off as friends."
"Where are the others?" Asked Starfire. "Where are our friends?"
"We'll explain at the Night cave." Flash replied. Artemis facepalmed herself because of the dumb name.
"Night cave?" Starfire asked with a curious eyebrow.
"I hate that name as much as you do Star."
Starfire looked up to trace the voice and she sees a grown muscular man in a black and blue suit and a mullet. The man jumped from the building and safely landed in front of the Tamaranean.
Starfire instantly recognised the man as Nightwing, the man Robin will grow up to be. "Nightwing?"
"Hello Star, it's been a while, for me." Nightwing politely greeted.
"Robin...Nightwing, what has happened to the city, where are our friends?"
"We'll explain everything at my base." Nightwing replied.
"Night Cave." Flash retorted.
Nightwing sighed, since this was a name his best friend wanted to call his base. "It's not even a cave."
"Metaphorically speaking."
Meanwhile.
Robin crash landed on the Titan couch, that somehow joined him on his travel. The boy wonder analysed surroundings and notices he's in the living room of Titan's Tower and notices it looked abandoned. "What happened?"
Robin pulled out his Titan communicator to see if he can communicate with any Titan. "Robin to any Titan, do you copy? Robin to any Titan can anyone read me?" Robin hit his communicator to see if it was glitching, but it wasn't. None of the Titans were responding. Robin stood on the edge of the broken tower and asked himself once he saw the dilapidated city, "What happened here?"
"I asked myself the same question upon my return." Replied a voice that made Robin's heart sink. The boy wonder turned around to see an orange woman with red hair and purple armour.
"Starfire?" Robin asked.
"Hello Richard." Starfire greeted the boy wonder.
"Star, how do you know my name? And why do you look older?"
"I was about to ask why you looked the same age when I left."
"Left?" Robin repeated. "What do you mean, left?"
The grown up Starfire sighed. "We did the breaking up."
Robin's eyes went wide with shock upon hearing that news. "We broke up? What did I do?"
"I was not the one who did the breaking up, it was you."
"Me?!" Robin looked panicked. "I would never break up with you, heck, I never wanted to."
"Maybe that was what you should have replied with 10 years ago." The grown up Starfire suggested, referring to him not answering her question.
"Star, the question came out of nowhere. I didn't know how to answer it." Robin explained.
The grown up Starfire just huffed, walked towards the broken window and sighed. "A lot of things have changed since I was gone."
"I only just got here. By the looks of things and you looking older, I'm in the future. So far, I don't like it."
"Perhaps." Said the grown up Starfire.
"What made you come back?" Asked Robin.
"I only came back because I have received word that one of our friends has been taken and since you're here, I think I need the help I can get." The grown up Tamaranean explained.
"If I help you rescue our friend, will you help me find you?" Asked Robin.
"I guess you have yourself a deal." Starfire said.
"First I need to know, who's been taken?"
In a warehouse beside the docks, the teenage Starfire was admiring the old Robin costume Nightwing used to wear back in his younger days. She sighed sadly. "We did the breaking up?"
Nightwing was on the computer looking at CCTV footage. "I believe we did." Nightwing replied. "You left one day without a call or a reason and it left me...I don't like to talk about it."
Starfire approached her now grown up boyfriend and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please Nightwing, tell me. How did it make you feel?" Nightwing moves her hand away from his shoulder.
"Talk to the Flash, he might be interested." Nightwing rudely suggested, an act that made Starfire surprised, but she complied and sat next to the speedster, who was drinking from a cup he got at a fast food restaurant, while his wife was resting her back against the wall cleaning her arrows.
"Surprised that it's still open after a long time." The Flash said, commenting on the fast food restaurant where he got his soda.
"Please, friend Flash. What has happened to my home, our friends?" Asked Starfire.
Flash placed the soda on the table in front of him and sighed. "Where do I start? Where do I start?" The Flash asked himself.
"What happened to the Titans after I left?" Starfire asked.
"Ok, I'll start with Beast Boy, I hate to tell people what happened to him. He was hallucinating this Terra person and that drove him mad that he became the third apprentice to Slade."
"Slade?"
"Yup, Slade." Flash confirmed. "The madness took over him and he wanted the hallucinations to stop, Raven killed him as a mercy. The killing of Beast Boy took a toll on Raven, that she locked herself up because she felt guilty."
"Friend Beast Boy died? And Raven did the killing?"
"I couldn't believe it myself. Cyborg on the other hand: 6 years after you left and Beast Boy died, he joined the Justice League..." Starfire gave the speedster a puzzled look, since she was unaware of the Justice League. "...oh, they're this big superhero team. Anyway, one year after he became an official member, he died tragically. He took out this big bad guy named Vandal Savage, but at the cost of his life."
Tears started to fill Starfire's eyes upon hearing the news that two of her friends, her family are no longer alive in the future.
Artemis approached the Tamaranean and handed her a box of tissues, which the Tamaranean took. She pulled a piece out and wiped her eyes out.
"Why didn't you and Jinx stay together?"
"We ended up together, but that didn't last." Flash replied.
"And did she go back to the life of crime because of it?!" Starfire asked, sounding scared for the answer while floating. "Did she also go crazy and one of you had to kill her?! Or did she join the League of Justice and die?!"
"Or did she turn into librarian?" Asked The Flash. "Answer: Yes she did." Starfire sat back down on the couch feeling a little embarrassed by her outburst. "Yeah. She's living a normal life as a librarian and has two kids. While me, I stayed with the Titans, became the Flash 7 years later, got married to my Spitfire..." Artemis rolled her eyes when her husband called her her embarrassing nickname. "...and now we're expecting a baby in nine months and I keep telling her not to do anything involving hero work."
"Hey, I'm not even showing, yet." Artemis retorted.
"Babe, we've been over this." Said The Flash.
"And what of Nightwing?" Starfire asked while looking at her now grown up boyfriend.
Flash sighed and said, "Artemis wait here."
"Dick Grayson story?" Asked Artemis.
"Dick Grayson story." Flash confirmed.
The Flash picked up Starfire bridal style and ran out of the building to the edge of a cliff.
"Question Friend Flash: Who is this Dick Grayson?" Starfire asked.
"Nightwing. That's Robin's real name." The Flash replied. "Richard Grayson. Your future self found out on the day you broke up."
"Please no more mentioning of the breaking up." Starfire requested.
"Right, sorry." Flash apologised. "After you broke up, Nightwing started changing. He would lock himself in his room, swore there were moments where he was crying which is very rare. Years later, he started going down a path, the Batman path. He started becoming Batman but more ruthless, more brutal and more untrustworthy. One time, Jericho went undercover as Slade's new apprentice, only Nightwing knew and because of that, the Titans broke up. I stuck around to take care of him to make sure his path never got darker than it already was. After the Titans broke up, he...killed Batman."
Starfire's eyes went wide when she heard that shocking fact. "Robin killed the man of bat?! He would do such no thing!"
"He did." Flash replied sadly. "Last year, Batman's son died at the hands of the Joker and that caused him to go crazy and kill almost every villain in Gotham. Dick had no choice, but kill him."
Starfire was almost on the brink of tears after hearing it all, she feels she doesn't even recognise the man in the black and blue suit as Robin.
"I know this is going to be hard to accept, but this is what Robin will be."
"No, I will not let that happen!" Starfire exclaimed.
"Starfire, I doubt your breakup was the cause for all this." Said the Flash. "Even if you didn't breakup and ended up married and maybe having a child, maybe a little girl he could still go down that dark path."
Starfire dropped her head down in shame and sadness, tears falling down her face.
"Starfire, don't do this. I'm sorry you had to learn that truth." Starfire wiped away her tears and started hugging the Flash, feeling the need for comfort. The grown up speedster returned the hug, understanding the pain the Tamaranean Princess was going through.
"We have to find past Robin." Said Starfire.
Flash paused and his eyes went wide, "He's here?!"
"I can confirm." Starfire replied as she pulled out of the hug.
"Why didn't you say so?" Flash asked. "Wait, don't answer. Guess the future just overwhelmed you that much. Well, better tell Mr Grayson to get off his butt and try and find your Robin." Flash picked her up bridal style and ran back to the base.
Meanwhile.
We see a dark transport vehicle driving along side an empty highway. Inside the armoured vehicle was a cell holding two female prisoners with bags over their heads. Inside the transport, were also armed henchmen wearing suits that looked similar to Slade.
But unknown to the guards, they were being watched from a building by grown up Starfire and the young boy wonder.
"When did you receive word about their kidnapping?" Asked Robin.
"I received word from friend Jinx, who somehow got in contact with me after all those years that friend Raven was kidnapped." Starfire explained.
"Did she explain anything else?" Asked Robin.
"Not much. Just Raven was kidnapped and she needed help." Starfire explained just as the cargo truck got into their view. "Is the plan clear?"
"Clear enough." Robin replied. "Don't forget Well, lets go." Robin said as the transport vehicle was approaching the building. Robin jumped off the building and landed on top of the vehicle with Starfire following. Starfire flew to the door and blasted it open. The guards aimed their guns to whoever could be bursting in.
Grown up Starfire flew into the transport and started blasting the armed goons.
Meanwhile, Robin ran to the front part of the cargo truck and started hanging off the hood. He punched the windshield, forced his way in and pushed the driver out of the moving vehicle. He took the steering wheel and pressed the breaks with his foot.
Inside the cargo truck, the grown up Starfire was in a fist fight with a bunch of armed goons, disarming every one. Robin soon joined in and threw his birdarang at one guard, disarming him. Robin pulled out his bo-staff and incapacitated a few guards, while grown up Starfire blasted the rest.
"Is that all?" Asked Robin.
"I am hoping." Starfire replied.
The two approached the cells and Starfire used her strength to pull the door off. The grown up Tamaranean blasted the chains and power cancelling collar around their necks. Robin approached one of the prisoners, removed the bag from her head to reveal a pale woman with pink short hair. She looked up and said, "Good to see you again Star."
"It is nice to see you as well friend Jinx." The grown up Tamaranean replied.
Jinx took a look at Robin and raised an eyebrow. "Dick, did Mad Mod do this to you?" Asked Jinx.
"He's from the past. He and the young me somehow ended up in our future."
"Ok, should I explain what has happened?" Asked Jinx.
"What happened to the team?" Asked Robin.
"I'm pretty sure you know what happened to Starfire; you two broke up, she left Earth." Jinx stood up and took a stretch. "Cyborg joined the Justice League, died." Robin and Starfire's eyes went wide upon hearing that news.
"Friend Cyborg is dead?" Asked the saddened Starfire.
"Things aren't all sunshine and rainbows at the moment." Jinx replied. "Wally became the new Flash and married the female equivalent to Speedy."
"Artemis?" Asked Robin.
"I can confirm." Jinx replied. "I left that life and became a librarian, got two kids at home. Whilst you Robin, well...One awful thing, you grew a mullet."
"I always wanted to grow a mullet." Robin commented.
"Trust me, it doesn't suit you. That's not the worst part, I was just telling the least worst part to prepare you for the worst." Jinx explained. "You got a little brutal and edgy after Starfire left, and for 7 years you've been the one and only Nightwing."
"I became brutal and edgy after a breakup?" Asked Robin.
"I wouldn't blame it on the breakup, but you did go down a dark path." Jinx explained.
"And what of friends Beast Boy and Raven?" Asked the grown up Starfire.
"Beast Boy got murdered." Jinx replied.
The news made Robin and Starfire's eyes widen. "Friend Beast Boy and Cyborg are dead?"
"Who murdered Beast Boy?" Asked Robin.
"Well, you're rescuing her." Jinx replied while pulling the bag off the second prisoner, who turned out to be Raven.
"I killed him. I killed Beast Boy. I killed him, I killed him." Raven repeated.
"She killed Beast Boy?" Robin asked Jinx.
"Why did she kill friend Beast Boy?" Asked the grown up Starfire.
"Mercy killing. It was a mercy killing. I killed him." Raven said.
"He was in pain, she had no choice but to do it." Jinx explained.
"Why was he in pain?" Asked Robin.
"Robin?" Raven asked.
Robin turned to face Raven and asked, "What is it?"
"No. It can't be Dick Grayson. Murderer!"
"What do you mean?" Asked Robin.
"You killed Batman!" Raven exclaimed.
Robin's eyes widened upon hearing the awful news of him being the one to take down Batman.
Meanwhile
at the Night Cave. Starfire, Nightwing, Flash and Artemis were looking at CCTV footage. They have been monitoring the footage for hours, but they couldn't find anything that either interested them or could lead them to anything.
"I'm going to the store to get a drink." Said the Flash. "You want anything?"
"Water will be good for me, Wally." Artemis replied.
"Star, you want some mustard?" Asked the Flash.
"Mustard will be glorious. Thank you friend Flash."
"I'll just have the usual." Nightwing replied.
"I'll be back in a flash." Said the Flash before he ran out of the building.
"I'm going to see if I can get in any contact with any of the Titans." Artemis said as she used her arrow to grapple herself out of a hole in the ceiling.
Starfire stayed in silent as she stared at the monitor along with Nightwing. "If you want to talk, I'll talk." Said Nightwing.
Starfire looked at Nightwing with an uncanny feeling, since he hadn't even said a word to her for a while. "You sure there isn't anything you wish to talk about? He did tell you the Dick Grayson story."
"I wish to not believe that you turned out like this." Starfire said sadly.
"Things changed Star." Said Nightwing.
"Why did it have to be this way?"
"It just happened Star." Nightwing replied.
"But it should not have been." Said Starfire, sadly.
Nightwing sighed, not knowing what he should say. "I know." Said Nightwing.
"Me doing the breaking up, turn you to this?" Asked Starfire.
"I do not want you to blame yourself for this." Nightwing demanded. "I admit I might have gotten aggressive over the years and things went haywire with the Titans. But your departure and our breakup, was never your fault."
"How can you be sure our breakup was what caused it?" Asked Starfire.
"Because it sounds petty and stupid." Nightwing replied. "Because I doubt our breakup is what caused the city to be in chaos and Batman's fall to the dark side. Killing him was the only way I could make him stop, believe me I never intended on killing him but it was the only way." Starfire looked away saddened by how Nightwing turned out. "I know this hard, but it could be possible this could happen."
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Starfire flew towards the door, attempting to answer it. "Don't." Said Nightwing. "I need to know who's here first."
Nightwing typed on a few keys to see who's at the front door, which happened to be Jinx. "Dick, I know this is a bit inconvenient and we haven't spoken in a year, but could you buzz us in?"
Starfire flew towards the monitor and got a good look at the older pink haired sorceress. "Friend Jinx?"
"Yup." Nightwing confirmed.
"I do not like her hair." Starfire's little comment made the grown man chuckle a bit.
"First time I laughed in over ten years."
"Come on Dick." Said Jinx. "But we need to talk about three things. One..." Jinx pulled Raven to the camera. "...two" Jinx pulled the young Robin to the screen. "...and three." Jinx finally pulled the more older Starfire to the screen, which made Nightwing's eyes go wide.
"Starfire?" Nightwing reacted with the warm feeling he felt every time he saw or felt Starfire. He didn't feel the same with the younger Starfire because she was young, but when he saw how gorgeous his ex girlfriend grew up to be.
Meanwhile, we see a tall tower in the centre of the city. Inside we see two armed men walking down a long corridor. One was looking calm, while the other was looking nervous.
"You seem nervous." The man analysed.
"You do realise who we're informing our failure to?" The other man asked.
"I've met him once or twice. He may seem scary, but he's actually a chilled guy." The man assured his comrade.
The armed men entered a room where they see a man in armour watching a big TV, stroking something. The nervous man was shaking while the more relaxed man was looking confident.
"She escaped?" Asked their boss who spoke in a deep monotone voice.
"Well...well...we...uh...what happened is..."
"She had help." The monotone man replied.
"Yes." The more relaxed goon responded. "I mean sure we tried our best, but what did you expect when we were handling-"
"Starfire and Robin." The monotone man interjected. "I knew this would happen, but I did not expect two things. One: The young Robin and two: A more grown up Starfire. I have to admit, she's grown up to be...very attractive."
One of the armed men sighed. "Another Robin? Didn't Joker kill the last one?"
The man stood up and pulled what was on his lap to his head, which was a mask. He put it on and cracked his neck. "No. It's Nightwing, but he has somehow gotten younger. It can't be Mad Mod because he's been deceased for 7 years. My only theory is, he has somehow found his way into the future."
"How can you be so sure it's him, sir?" Asked the nervous armed man.
"Because my dear friend..." The man turned to face his men to reveal he is Slade. "...I never forget a bird."
The armed men both started shaking, the more relaxed one even felt his nerves shaking. "Ok, I might have lied about meeting him once or twice." The relaxed one said.
"Prepare the squad." Slade ordered as he typed on a few keys to reveal a 2-D projection of a warehouse. "I found our escapee."
Meanwhile at the Night Cave.
The young Robin and Starfire were sitting a chair away from each other, each feeling awkwardness about seeing each other after her little awkward question, plus knowing their fate. Flash was monitoring the cameras with his wife at his side, while Jinx was sitting beside Raven.
Robin and Starfire were still staring at each other, waiting for one of them to say something. "You have heard the same?" Asked Starfire.
"This is what happens after you leave." Robin replied.
"What are we to do?" Asked Starfire.
"Obviously, we stay with them until they help us find a way to get us back to our own time."
"I am not talking about how we are getting back. I was talking about what is it we should do with us?" Asked Starfire.
Robin looked down on the floor with sadness. "I don't know Star. We saw how we turned out."
"Even if we do the breaking up, I will not leave the Earth. It is my home." Said Starfire.
"Do you want to break up?" Asked Robin.
"I do not know. Do you?" Asked Starfire.
Robin sighed. "That's what's been going on through my head. I don't want us to break up, but us not breaking up might cause some problems with the time stream. From what I've seen from time travel movies, that's what could happen."
"So the real question we should be asking ourselves is: Should we do the breaking up?" Starfire queried.
Robin looked away from Starfire, not knowing how to answer the question. "I don't know."
Meanwhile in a room that appeared to be Nightwing's, him and the grown up Starfire were standing about 5 feet away from each other with their arms folded. They stared at each other, feeling the awkwardness two former lovers would feel after breaking up.
After a minute, Starfire decided to break the awkward silence. "It is good to see you again."
"Feeling's mutual." Nightwing retorted.
The grown up Starfire looked away for a moment, still wondering if this was once the boy who she left 10 years ago. "So this is what happened after 10 years?"
"Yes." Said Nightwing.
"You have decided to take a turn to the murdering."
"Batman was the only man I have only killed." Said Nightwing. "I didn't like it, but I had no choice."
"It probably was the right move." Said the grown up Tamaranean.
"Young me doesn't seem to think so." Nightwing mentioned.
"He was horrified." Said grown up Starfire.
"If I found out I'd have to kill the man who turned me from an orphan circus boy to Robin, I would have been horrified but it's a destiny he'll have to accept." Nightwing said, regret in his voice. "So what's the story?"
"What story?"
"What made you come back after ten years?"
"Jinx somehow came into contact with me because friend Raven was captured." Starfire explained. "Why didn't she come into contact with you?"
"She has a good reason not to contact me. She probably didn't want to contact Flash because it would be awkward for an ex to contact a married man."
"It is a shame Flash and Jinx never ended up the together." Starfire commented.
"What have you been doing for 10 years? Did you go back to Tamaran?"
"No."
"Got involved in an arrange marriage?"
"No."
"Moved to another planet?"
"No! Richard, let me explain!" The grown up Tamaranean exclaimed. Nightwing folded his arms, motioning Starfire to explain. "After the breakup, I wandered the galaxy defending it as much as I could. Why have you not come into contact with me?"
"Because I assumed you needed space." Nightwing replied. "Why didn't you try and contact the team?"
"I also assumed you needed the space. And I thought it would be the awkward if we talked."
"I honestly felt the same way." Nightwing retorted.
"I cannot believe you became the way you are after you did the breaking up with me."
"Me?!" Nightwing angrily exclaimed. "I think your mind's playing tricks on you, you dumped me."
"What do you mean I dumped you?" Asked Starfire. "After the argument we had, we were...distant. I merely assumed this was your way of telling me we were over." The grown up Starfire had the urge to cry, but did her best to hold back the tears that were about to ensue.
"I wanted to talk to you after realising how distant we were becoming. I override the code to your room and I saw you weren't there, it was at that moment I realised it was over." Nightwing looked away from Starfire, not wanting her to see him upset.
"I guess in a way, we did the breaking up with each other." Starfire said sadly.
"We both assumed."
"Because you did not answer my question." Starfire pointed out.
"How was I supposed to answer something like that?!" Nightwing asked angrily.
"Because the movie made me scared of what could happen to us." Starfire explained.
"I did not want to break up with you but I did not want to answer the question!"
"We are having the same argument again." Exclaimed Starfire.
Outside, the muffled argument of Nightwing and grown up Starfire was not unheard by the others. Flash was trying to listen in by pressing his ear against the wall, Jinx was doing the same as her ex, Artemis was tending to Raven while the younger Robin and Starfire only listened in.
"I assume we need to have this argument." Starfire sighed.
"Star, why should we?" Asked Robin.
"Because what would happen to the timeline if we did not?"
"You changed the timeline once before Star, remember?" Robin asked, alluding to the time Starfire got sent to the future and changed it when things got bad for her friends.
"Yes I do. But I do have the doubts, our breakup is the cause of this." Said Starfire.
"Wait a sec." Artemis interrupted. "I'm sorry for interrupting your little chat, but you mentioned your...possible ex girlfriend getting flung in the future, and in her absence, you were left to defend your city?"
"Yes." Robin and Starfire confirmed in unison.
"And you claim to be from the past?" Asked Artemis.
"Yes."
"If you two were from the past and somehow flung into the future, how come Mr mullet and her are still here if things went differently with Starfire?"
Robin and Starfire's eyes went wide when Artemis asked the question.
"That's a good point." Flash retorted. "If you two are from the past and somehow travelled into the future, then the timeline should be a whole lot of different if things went differently with Starfire. Unless, maybe you two aren't from the past and this isn't the future."
"What are you suggesting?" Asked a confused Jinx.
"Well..."
We cut to Flash drawing on a chalkboard while the other's, including Nightwing and adult Starfire, were watching him.
"Wally, you don't need the chalkboard you can just explain it." Artemis said.
"If I do you'll just beg me to speak in English English instead of my English. So this is what I'm doing, I'm going to explain my theory in English English." Flash explained.
"What are you theorising Wally?" Asked Nightwing.
"Right, the young versions of you that are sitting close to you are not you from the past, they're you from a different Earth." Flash said while drawing two circles which resembled Earth. "You remember the Starfire story; You know, when Starfire went into the future and things went bad for the other Titans?" The audience gave a small nod, except for Raven who was still repeating she killed him. "Well, when Starfire returned from that awful future that became a separate Earth or timeline, depending on what you wanna call it."
"What are you trying to get at?" Asked Nightwing.
"Since them two are from the past and are possibly in the future, why are you two still here?" The Flash asked Nightwing and adult Starfire.
Nightwing and adult Starfire realised what Flash was implying and were a little shocked. "Hold on, that's a good point. I never thought about it until now." Said Nightwing.
"Yes, should the young versions be seeing you instead of us?" Asked the adult Starfire.
"You're right they should have. But this is not their timeline." Flash explained. "This is a different Earth and timeline where it's a possible future."
"So we're trapped in a possible future?" Asked Robin.
"Yes." Flash replied. "You are in a Earth that is a possible future for the both of you. Any questions?"
The audience were staring at Flash, some looking confused and some looking like they understood it. Artemis raised a hand for her husband. "Honey?"
"Are you going to explain this kind of stuff to our child someday?" Asked Artemis.
"If he's a part of my science class, than yes." Flash replied.
"Wait, I thought warp was a time travelling thief." Adult Starfire questioned.
"Maybe he decided to get a new hobby." Jinx suggested.
"If we're in a different universe than we have to find a way back." Said Robin.
"What should we do?" Asked Nightwing.
"What about the Worlogog?" Asked the young Starfire.
Nightwing, Flash and Jinx gave each other an awkward look implying they destroyed it.
"I'm assuming it was a good reason?" Robin asked.
"It was." Nightwing confirmed.
"What was the good reason?" Asked the adult Starfire.
"The less that's said, the better." Flash replied.
"Morons." Said Raven.
"I know we are Raven." Nightwing agreed.
"Morons." Raven repeated. "We could have used the Worlogog." Raven stood up and pulled her hood down.
"Raven?" Asked the young Starfire.
"Yeah." A somehow mentally stable Raven confirmed.
"What made you snap out of your little...ya know?" Asked Jinx
"I have spent 10 years in a mental hospital to try and control my emotions, since they were going overboard since I..." Raven swallowed a gulp, not wanting to mention her mistake. "...back on subject. Remember how I used my magic to help Cyborg when he got stuck in the past?"
"Ok, how many time travel adventures did you have?" Asked Artemis.
"Twice." Replied Raven.
"Oh."
"Getting you two back to your universe is going to take a lot of concentration from me. So it's going to take a lot of meditating and patience in order for me to do so." The adult empath explained.
"Ok, get to work Raven." Said Robin.
"That will have to wait." Said a deep mom to tone voice that made both of the Graysons fists clench. They looked up and see Slade standing in top of a ceiling support rod. "Besides, it's been too long."
"Slade." Both of the Dick Graysons hissed.
"Hello Nightwing and hello Robin." Slade sinisterly greeted.
"What are you doing here?" Asked Artemis.
"Isn't it obvious? I am here to kill you, personally." Slade explained as he landed in front of them. "Nine months ago I had the whole continent in my grasp."
"Continent?!" Exclaimed Robin.
"Long story." Replied Nightwing.
"Yes. For a while I took over the entire US, until they put a stop to it." Slade explained. "Now, it's just me and a small faction of my army who are running things."
"Listen Slade, how about you come back in...let's say..." Flash turns to face Raven. "How long does the spell usually take?"
"Three hours." Replied Raven.
"Three hours." Exclaimed Flash. "Just come back in three hours so we can finish things off."
"Hmm, tempting. But I'm afraid I can't do that." Slade said. "It would be pointless to leave when I have property I must retrieve." Slade then pointed to Raven.
"What did you want with me?" Asked Raven.
"Isn't it obvious? I was planning to lead you into a trap."
"What's your plan now Slade?!" Nightwing asked angrily.
Slade pulled out his bo-staff and got into a fighting stance, ready to attack. "Allow me to demonstrate."
Suddenly, a huge truck crashed into the warehouse with armed men coming out.
"Titans Go!" Nightwing and Robin shouted, causing everyone to charge.
Nightwing disarmed the soldiers and hit them in the face with his batons. The adult Starfire picked up a soldier and threw him to the wall. Robin was knocking the soldiers off their feet unbeknownst to the armed soldiers aiming their guns for the young Titan, but they quickly got disarmed by the Flash, who replaced their guns with soda cans.
"You looked kinda of thirsty." Flash explained. "Sorry, I drank the majority of them."
The two soldiers got knocked down by an electric arrow and a starbolt that came from Artemis and the young Starfire.
"Wally, quit chatting with the armed men!" Artemis demanded.
"Sorry honey, you know what I'm like with armed men." Flash explained.
"Was he like this when you were around?" Artemis asked the young Tamaranean.
The young Starfire blasted a few more soldiers before replying, "He was never this chatty."
Raven yelled her famous spell to make the guns levitate in the air, tear into little pieces and then sent the armed men flying into the air.
Jinx used her hex powers to make the guns explode in the armed men's faces.
Robin and Nightwing both threw birdarangs at a couple of Slade goons, disarming them.
Jinx did a few backflips and kicked an armed man in the face. Flash stood next to his ex and tossed another armed man into the wall.
"Thanks Wally." Jinx said.
"No problem." Said Flash, who ran to another goon and punched him in the face.
Artemis did a roll and stood with her husband and his ex, firing her arrows at incoming goons; trapping them in nets.
"I'm going to try and stop more of those losers." Flash said before running towards some more goons.
"So, how are you and Wally?" Asked Jinx.
"Surviving." Artemis replied. "How are the kids?"
"One positive: They don't have super speed." Jinx and Artemis gave a small chuckle at the pink haired sorceress' comment.
Meanwhile, the adult Starfire was disarming Slade goons and smashed the armed men's faces with their weapons. Nightwing used his batons to make the armed men unconscious, while doing so he took a quick glance at his ex, and was amazed at how much of an talented fighter she has become after 10 years.
Robin performed an air kick, hitting a goon in the face.
"Robin!"
Robin turned to trace the voice, which happened to be Raven using her magic to throw a goon towards him; he got the idea and kicked him.
"Thanks Raven." Said Robin.
Nightwing was knocking down some goons, but then unexpectedly got knocked down by one of the goons. The adult Starfire then saved Nightwing, by blasting the goon who was attempting to shoot him.
Nightwing gave his ex an appreciative smile and said, "Thanks." The adult Tamaranean didn't seem to care though, as she just continued shooting the armed men.
Nightwing's smile turned to frown, but he then shrugged it off and performed a roundhouse kick on a goon before standing next to his ex.
"What shall be done?" Asked the adult Starfire.
"With what?" Asked Nightwing, who threw a birdarang at an armed goon.
"With Raven performing the spell? We cannot do anything with Slade around."
"Hmm." Said Nightwing, who stood in place, thinking. "We'll take them to Titans Tower." Nightwing explained.
"Sounds like a plan. What about the others?"
"Don't worry, we got ya back." Artemis assured the two.
"Raven, Robin and other Starfire, get to Titans tower, we'll meet you there as soon as we can." Nightwing commanded.
"Alright." Robin replied, while knocking down a goon.
"Then let us make with the haste." Starfire agreed.
"No need." Said Raven. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
Raven used her magic to make her, Nightwing, Robin, her and the two Starfires disappear to Titans Tower.
Jinx used her hex powers to make some guns explode. "Where did they go?"
"Dick said to make sure Slade doesn't get their hands on them." Artemis explained as she fired off an arrow.
Flash ran towards a few goons and knocked them off their feet.
And soon after, they were all knocked down.
"That was easy." Said Flash.
"Don't get so confident now Mr West." Slade said as he pulled out his sword. "It could kill you."
Meanwhile.
The two Robins, the two Starfires and Raven arrived at the Titans tower common room, which was very dilapidated.
"Why have you not done that more often in your younger days, Friend Raven?" Asked the young Starfire.
"Honestly, it drains a chunk of my power if there's more than one passenger." Raven replied.
"Do you have enough to send us home?" Asked Robin.
"Like I said, it will take a while." Raven replied as she sat in her meditation pose, and starts repeating Azarath Metrion Zinthos.
"It is going to take a while..." Said adult Starfire. "...may I suggest we do the waiting?"
"That's what I was suggesting." Said Nightwing as he approached the two younger versions of himself and Starfire. "We're going to stay with you and Raven, to make sure you're protected."
"I can handle myself against Slade." Robin argued.
"Still as determined as ever, aren't you?" Asked Nightwing. "But I'm still keeping an eye on you."
"Very well." Robin begrudgingly complied. "But I'm staying with Raven."
Nightwing gave a small sigh. Forgetting how stubborn he was before. "Alright, fine. I'm going to see if there's anything we can use to defend ourselves. Cyborg's old tech should be in tower somewhere." Nightwing exited the main lounge to find some supplies.
Later.
We cut to Nightwing walking to Cyborg's room. While walking to his deceased comrade's room, he took a stop and stared at one of the doors which turned out to be Starfire's. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Inside the room was Starfire's old bedroom, now covered in dust and cobwebs.
The grown Titan had feelings of sadness and regret coursing through his mind. The grown Titan took off his mask and continued to stare at the empty space. After a few seconds he put it back on when he heard some footsteps.
"You never thought about keeping it clean?" Asked Starfire.
Nightwing turned to face his grown up ex girlfriend, who was looking at her old bedroom. "Not for a while."
"I see." Starfire retorted. "Was this how you were when I left?"
"I stood like this for...I don't know how long." Nightwing replied. "I took it as you not being there after a few minutes. I stood by your door...crying. I just blamed myself for my stupidity, for not speaking to you about the question. If I answered it sooner I wouldn't have witnessed it."
"When we were the distant, I saw that as a sign of things being over." The adult Tamaranean explained. "A did not go by where I did not cry, feeling sad for our breakup. I thought the space was all I needed before coming back, but my duties as a hero neglected me to be able to do so."
"I wish you could have visited at least once. Because I regret being distant and I wanted to apologise for that."
"And I forgive you." Said Starfire.
She turned Nightwing around so she could get a good look at him. She placed a hand on his face and gently started to caress his face.
"I have missed you, so much." Nightwing said, trying to hold back the tears.
Starfire moved her hand up a bit and held the edge of Nightwing's mask in-between her fingers, wanting to take it off so she could see his face again. Starfire gave him a stare that asked him if she could do it, Nightwing gave her a nod and the Tamaranean started to gently tear it off.
From a distance, the young Starfire saw her older self tearing the grown man's mask off. The young Tamaranean wanted to get a good look at Nightwing's face, but she decided it wasn't a good time since she was fearing she would be intruding on the moment between the two. Then, she sees the two wrap their arms around each other and started to lean in to kiss each other. The kiss lasted for a very long time from the young Tamaranean's perspective, since it was a kiss that made the grown Titans feel happy and relief to see each other again after years of separation.
This touching moment made the young Tamaranean tear up a bit as well. She quickly moved to the lounge so the two adults would not hear her sobbing.
Later.
Robin was keeping an eye on Raven, whom was still repeating her mantra. The young Starfire entered the lounge still feeling the overwhelming happy sadness from earlier. This didn't get ignored by Robin, as he noticed her.
"Star, are you crying?" The boy wonder asked.
Starfire quickly wiped away her tears and turned to face her boyfriend. "Forgive me."
"Star, you know there's no shame in crying." Said Robin. "Are you still upset about us breaking up?"
"No. They are the happy tears."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "Happy tears?"
"Yes." Starfire confirmed. "I just witnessed the older us's getting back together. I removed your mask and then we kissed."
"So, we get back together?" Asked Robin.
"I believe so." Starfire confirmed.
"Well, they did break up with each other in a way. So, they do feel regret." Robin said.
They watched as the adult Raven continued her mantra while trying to block out any unwanted attention.
Robin stared at his beautiful girlfriend, admiring her red hair and emerald green eyes. He gave a small smile at her, still admiring her beauty.
"Robin." Starfire said, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Yes Star?"
"I am sorry for giving you that question." Starfire apologised.
"Star, don't apologise." Robin requested.
"Why?"
"Because, you are right to feel scared of our future." Robin replied. "I also feel the same fear, but I just didn't know how to answer the question. It came out of nowhere and it was scary." Robin turned to face Starfire and took her hand in his. "Star, I don't know if we're going to be together forever, but I hope we are still together in the future." Robin used his other hand to place it on her cheek. "I hope it because...gosh this is going to sound cheesy."
Starfire raised an eyebrow. "How will your reason sound like cheese?" Asked Starfire, not understanding the phrase. "Cheese doesn't make a sound."
Robin smiled, trying to contain his laughter of his girlfriend not understanding the phrase. "That's not what I meant by cheesy, but trust me it's dumb." Robin breathed through his nose and then said, "I love you, Star."
Starfire went wide eyed when Robin confessed his feelings. "Why would that be dumb Robin?" Asked Starfire.
"Usually telling someone you'd love them would be too soon." Robin explained.
"For me it is not Robin. I love you as well." Starfire said as she placed her hand on her boyfriend's face. "I do not wish for us to break up."
"Neither do I, Star. I am so sorry I-"
"Stop talking." Starfire interjected before she closed her eyes and started to lean in. Robin smiled and then started to lean in as well.
"How touching." Robin and Starfire's kiss was interrupted by the sinister monotone voice of Slade. "Shame that will have to be cut short."
"Slade." Robin hissed.
"What have you done with our friends?!" Asked Starfire.
"I spared Artemis since she is pregnant. But Flash and Jinx...they should have kept ahead."
Robin and Starfire's eyes went wide with shock upon hearing Slade announce the deaths of their allies.
"No." Robin reacted.
Slade chuckled as he pulled his swords out. "Sorry that I have to cut our little reunion short." He sarcastically apologised.
"What do you exactly want with Raven?!" Asked Robin.
"I thought you was the ex student of the world's greatest detective, you should have figured it out by now." Slade explained. "I was the tyrant of the continent until Nightwing defeated me. Now, I shall kill those he was close to. But now plans have changed." The ex-tyrant threw his sword at Robin, but the Boy Wonder quickly ducked before the blade could pierce through his skin.
Slade charged at Robin, but the young Starfire blasted the ex-tyrant across the room, causing him to crash into the wall. He stood back and started charging again, dodging Starfire's starbolts and fighting Robin in a bo-staff fight. Starfire landed and kicked Slade in the back, making Robin hit the ex-tyrant in the face, knocking him to the floor.
Slade got up and stood in an attack position.
Robin smirked and said, "You've gotten old. Shame our fights aren't as interesting as they were back in your prime."
"I admit my age is a problem and my fighting has gotten a bit sloppy, but that doesn't mean I'm not intelligent." Slade retorted.
Robin heard some beeping and saw that there was a small bomb on his cape. The boy wonder quickly reacted by taking off his cape, scrunching it up into a ball, throwing it out of the tower and Starfire blasting it, causing a big explosion.
Slade hit the two in the face with his bo-staff; Robin retaliated by kicking Slade in the kneecap, but he didn't flinch. Starfire tried to blast Slade again, but he performed some backflips that caused the Boy Wonder to be kicked in the chin. Slade then threw some explosive disks that sent Starfire and Robin flying back.
Slade pulled his sword out of his satchel and charged at the two. But before his blade could penetrate their skins, he was stopped by two batons. Slade looked up and sees Nightwing, who gave him a smirk and kicked him across the room.
The adult Starfire blasted the floor near Slade, causing him to fly into the couch. Slade growled in anger. He stood up, cracked his neck and sees the two Starfires and two Robins in attack positions.
"Titans Go!" Said the two Graysons in unison. The four charged at Slade with the intention of defeating him. Slade threw a few explosive discs, but the two Starfires blew them up in midair just as the ex-mercenary performed an air kick towards Nightwing, who countered it by kicking him in the chest.
Robin tried to attack his arch enemy with his bo-staff, but the ex-tyrant rolled over and kicked Robin in the back of the head.
The young Tamaranean flew towards Slade and tackled him. Slade kicked Starfire off of him and tried to slice her with his sword, but the adult Tamaranean blasted the blade.
The adult Starfire got into a fistfight with Slade, who punched him in the face that there was a crack on his mask. Slade growled and used his broken blade to try and slice Starfire.
Robin quickly got up and kicked Slade in the ankle. Slade picked up Robin and threw him at Nightwing. Young Starfire started firing off some starbolts, but the ex-tyrant pulled his staff out and spun it, deflecting every blast.
The adult Starfire fire a starbolt from behind Slade causing him to lose focus that the young Starfire did the same.
Slade then growled, dodged the next batch, jumped up, kicked young Starfire in the face and threw his bo-staff at adult Starfire; the bo-staff then returned to Slade like a boomerang.
Nightwing got up and threw his baton at Slade, who deflected it.
Robin charged at Slade, their bo-staffs clashing. The glared at each other, much hatred plastered on their faces. During the clash, Slade tried to use his broken sword to stab Robin, the Boy Wonder noticed this and kneed Slade in the waist. The two Starfires then blasted Slade in the face, causing a small piece of his mask to break revealing some white hair.
Nightwing then kicked Slade in the chest with Robin hitting him in the head with his bo-staff, the two Starfires then blasted Slade off his feet causing him to crash through the wall.
The four admired the hole in the wall that Slade just crashed through. "How did we defeat Slade so easily?" Asked the adult Starfire.
"There's an obvious answer Star, he got old." Nightwing replied.
Suddenly, a black portal opened beside Raven. "Robin, Starfire, it's time to leave."
"You two better get going." Nightwing requested.
The four suddenly heard an enraged growl, confirming Slade was alive.
"What about Slade?" Asked Robin.
"Leave it to me and Richard." Adult Starfire requested. "The portal might not be open for long."
Robin and Starfire took a quick glance at the older versions before walking towards the portal.
Before he entered, Robin took a glance at his future self and said, "Nightwing..." Nightwing acknowledged his younger self. "...I'm having second thoughts about the hair."
Nightwing gave a small laugh just as Robin and Starfire jumped into the portal.
We then cut to Robin and Starfire returning back to the Titans tower, after their little adventure.
"We are home." Said a happy Starfire.
Robin looked outside the window and saw it was dark. "We've probably been gone for a long time."
Starfire looked around the room, trying to catch a glimpse of her friends. "Where are our friends?"
Robin pulled out his Titan communicator to contact the Titans. "Robin to any Titan, do you copy?"
"Oh, hey Robin." Said the voice of Kid Flash.
"Kid Flash, where are you and the Titans?"
"We are chasing a guy called Condiment King." Robin laughed at the ridiculous name, thinking it was made up. "I'm serious, this guy's whole gimmick is condiments."
"Do you need backup or a new suit?" Robin asked, jokingly.
"Ha ha. Very funny Robin. Now I'm regretting telling you to get a sense of humour." Kid Flash retorted. "I don't think we need backup for this guy at all."
"Ok, thanks Kid Flash." Said Robin.
Robin put his communicator back in his pocket and turned to face Starfire. Who attacked him with a kiss on the lips. The boy wonder was surprised but he then returned the affectionate kiss. The two disconnected and smiled. Starfire's smile turned upside-down.
"What is to be done about the warnings from the possible future?" Asked Starfire.
"I don't know." Robin replied. "We have got to keep an eye on Beast Boy while I need to keep an eye Batman, once he has his child."
"So you think Beast Boy is hallucinating Terra?" Asked Starfire.
"I don't know. I've got to make sure he isn't."
Meanwhile.
Beast Boy was trying to get the mustard out of his hair from an attack by Condiment King. "I'm going to need a very long shower dude." The Terra hallucination gave Beast Boy a suggestive smile which made him uncomfortable. "I swear I'm going to be driven insane by you."
"I hope it's in a good way." Said the Terra hallucination. "But first, better get after him before he puts a stain on somebody's suit."
Next time...The three part finale.