Chapter 36
The revelation that Starfire's memories had been changed somehow came as a shock, and sent waves of panic through the Titans. Though it did explain to Dick why, when she had taken the New Year photograph from her vanity the day she broke into the Tower, she hesitated at seeing the photo. Because she was in it, but at the time had absolutely no memory of being there. That version of Starfire probably couldn't understand why she would be in this photo, given that Slade had probably poisoned her against the Titans at the time. Still, musing about the signs he should have spotted beforehand weren't going to help him now. Not that he knew what would help him now.
After Bruce and Galfore had come to explain their theory, Robin had held Starfire just a little longer before telling her they would figure it out. He told her categorically that she had to avoid thinking about the past, as difficult as it was for her to do that at the moment. They definitely did not want Slade's fake memories taking over. That would be bad. With a hug and a kiss, he let Raven cart Starfire off for a shower.
Much to Starfire's annoyance that was.
As much as she was grateful for the shower, and she had no issue with Raven being present - Raven being a healer and the only other girl in the team, they'd seen each other at their most vulnerable plenty of times - rather it was that Cyborg was posted outside the bathroom, and she would be transported back to the cell straight after. Of course she understood why, but it still hurt. She still hadn't come to terms with everything that had happened between losing consciousness in the gymnastics room and waking up with the collar on in the cell. The rest of the Titans had given her a brief overview of what had happened in the few weeks of missing memory, but she couldn't help but feel that they were omitting details. Certain things that didn't quite add up or make sense if she really thought about it.
Everytime she tried to ask though, Dick would tell her not to worry about what had happened and to focus on herself. Which, ironically, would lead her down a rabbit hole of thoughts trying to figure out what on Tamaran she was going to do to get this blasted collar off and not be under Slade's control. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to remain calm the longer she sat and thought about it. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.
After her shower and, thank X'hal, a fresh change of clothes -her tamaranean armour was still sufficient enough to cover her scar but helped her feel somewhat normal-, Starfire was laid out on the bed in her cell, her head hanging over the edge. Dick was sitting next to her, leaning up against the glass walls, the pillow at his back and a laptop on his knees.
Now, the next series of events were, unfortunately, inevitable. Jason had been told to avoid the training room for a day or two whilst they got Starfire settled in, but he wanted to see how she was. Every time he had asked someone about it, they'd not mentioned that much about her memory problems other than the fact that she couldn't remember anything about the last few weeks. So when he wandered into the training room to see how she was, he didn't expect what happened.
"Hey!" Jason sounded merry as he wandered into the room. His forearm was in a cast and sling, honestly it had been nothing but a pain, but Raven had done all she could for the bone. It required time to heal on its own.
Both Dick and Starfire turned their heads to the door, Dick looked horrified but Starfire seemed happy to see him. She flipped onto her front and met him at the glass. "Jason, how lovely to see you! You are faring well, yes?"
Starfire couldn't see, but behind her Dick was trying to get Jason's attention. Mouthing at him to leave the room. Jason didn't understand at all. "I'm fine, but I think Dick's having a fit behind you. What's wrong?" Jason lifted an eyebrow as Dick ceased moving in time for Starfire to turn around.
"What?" Dick said innocently as Starfire looked at him. She turned back to Jason, looking more confused than ever.
"Jason, what have you done to yourself?" She pointed to his cast, that little sign of worry etched between her eyebrows. "Have you been careful on your patrols?"
"Wait, what?" Jason looked at her like she had three heads. Behind Starfire, Dick was rushing to put the laptop down and hop off the bed.
"Jason just had a nasty fall, Star. That's all. Nothing to worry about." Dick glared at Jason who just was not reading the room right.
"Dude, no I didn't. Are you gaslighting me?"
"Why would Dick be lighting you with gas?" Starfire, bless her, looked like so confused, before the look on her face changed to a more quizzical look. "Wait a moment…" she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Jase." Dick turned to him, his voice deep and stern. "Leave, now."
"What did I do?" Jason didn't mean to be indignant, he just genuinely didn't understand. Plus, the 'brother' part of him wasn't going to let Robin boss him about. "She already knows how I broke my arm, she's the one who…"
"JASON!" Dick snapped at him. He was well aware that, even just by his behaviour, Starfire knew that she had some involvement in this, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to stop the memory from surfacing.
"You said…" Starfire turned on Dick, her eyes wide. "You said I hadn't hurt anyone."
"I said you hadn't really hurt anyone. Jason is fine, Star. His arm will be healed properly in a week or two."
"But you said that…"
"Star, Slade used you as a weapon. We had to tackle you, a few injuries happened but everyone is fine. All fixable. I promise. You didn't really hurt anyone."
"That's not technically speaking true though, is it? Robin?" The new voice echoed around the room. On instinct, Jason's back hit the glass, and Dick's head snapped up to survey the room as he pulled Starfire closer. An icy cold shiver ran down Starfire's spine as she grabbed onto Dick's arm.
"Where are you, asshole?" Dick spat the words out.
Across the room, as if emerging from the shadows themselves, Slade appeared. He looked so calm and collected, but venom dripped from his voice. "I'm right here, Robin."
Jason looked up at the camera, willing whoever was watching to come and help. Slade caught his line of sight and chuckled.
"Batman is occupied. It appears a few of his friends have escaped from their prison and he is currently rounding them up. I'm certain he didn't tell you so as not to cause unnecessary worry. The other Titans however, are around here somewhere."
"Jason, go and get them." Dick didn't take his eyes off of Slade the entire time.
"But Dick…"
"Yes, Jason. Go and fetch them." Slade's smile could be heard in his voice, before it changed to a menacing sound. "I want them to witness this."
Jason hesitated, but then bolted for the door. Dick pulled Starfire behind him as Slade stepped closer to the glass. "My my, what a sad state you've found yourself in my dear."
"Screw you, Slade."
It didn't seem like Starfire was going to offer any words to the madman. She gripped onto Dick's sweater, her head starting to hurt as she felt her pulse quicken in anger. A drop of blood ran from the corner of her mouth but she didn't move to wipe it away.
Slade stepped up to the glass, his arms crossed behind his back. "You made a grave mistake bringing Joey into this, Robin." This was the most emotion either of them had ever heard from Slade.
"I didn't bring Jericho into this. You did. He wouldn't have joined the Titans if not for you, so I suppose for that I should thank you for being a lousy Father." Dick spat the words out, disgusted at what Jericho had told them about Slade. He rolled his shoulder slightly as Starfire's grip was hurting him a little and she loosened her grip but didn't let go.
Slade's arms dropped to his side, his fists balled. "You have no idea of the circumstances that surround Joey and myself. Everything I ever did for him was for his own good. I can see why he thinks my actions were wrong, but he doesn't know the lengths I've gone to for him. To keep him safe. Including pointing him in your direction. So don't stand there like you know what we've been through. We are very similar in many ways, Robin. Our pasts and motives, however, are worlds apart."
"Regardless, Slade, this tirade of yours is over."
Slade's one good eye narrowed a little. "I think not. Starfire is still dying. That collar may have suppressed my control, but you wouldn't have her contained in here if you had a way to revert her back to her true self."
Starfire flinched at the sound of her own name.
"I also would have thought that you'd have learnt your lesson about lying, Robin." Slade's gaze shifted to meet Starfire's. "My dear girl, he's trying not to upset you, but you deserve to know the truth. During your time with me, you nearly killed Robin. Would have if I hadn't told you not to. The one time I did, however, you were more than willing to put him out of his misery…"
"Slade… don't… you don't know wh…" Dick's voice was weary and he pulled Starfire in further behind him, trying to break their gaze.
"I don't care." He hissed. "The only reason he's still standing in front of you right now, is because Kid Flash got in your way."
Starfire went still and her grip on Dick dropped. He turned to look at her and saw she was staring off at the floor. A small sound of recognition left her and she started shaking. She could almost feel the warmth of Kid Flash's neck beneath her hand. The smell of burning hit her with full force and she dropped, her knees buckling. Dick caught her under her arms and lowered her gently to the floor as tears welled in her eyes. She looked at Dick, distraught written on her face. "Kid Flash… he…"
"Star, no. He's alive. He's okay. We sent him to the WatchTower to recuperate with Jinx. He'll live." He was pleading with her almost, trying to make her understand that none of this was her fault.
"But I… I tried to kill him…" She let out a puff of breath. "I tried to kill you." There was something tugging on her memory. A fight of some kind. A loud shattering of glass. Robin struggling to breathe. She gently placed her delicate fingers on his throat and her tears fell.
At that moment, Raven's aura shrieked and she appeared in the room with Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Jason whom she pushed back due to his broken arm. They all turned their gaze to Slade, ready to go if they needed to.
"Starfire, no one blames you. None of this is your fault. It's his." Dick turned to look at Slade who had watched in silent amusement. Starfire looked at him too. The moment her eyes locked onto his, her tears dried and her eyes lit up in response. Dick took a step back from her in shock and audible gasps were heard from the others.
"That's better, my dear. I knew that measly collar couldn't properly contain you." His voice sounded proud. Proud of himself for what he had done to her and what he had made her do. "Now, we can really get down to it."
Dick turned to him. "Not again, Slade. This time, she's staying here."
Slade chuckled in response. "I doubt that. She's going to have to find a way out of here if she wants to see you alive again."
It happened so quickly that no one really had the time to respond. Slade vanished in a puff of air, and reappeared between Dick and Starfire. He pulled Starfire to her feet by her hair, twisting her so she was facing away from him and kicked her in the back. She hit the glass with some force and fell to the floor. By the time she turned around to look, Slade had grabbed Dick by the collar of his sweater and teleported out of the cell. When he reappeared outside of the glass, he held Robin's belt and the Red X belt in one hand, and Dick was hanging in his grip. Cyborg had his sonic cannon ready, aimed at Slade. Beside him, Beast Boy had shifted into a tiger ready to pounce.
"Always prepared, eh Robin?" Slade turned to look at Starfire whose hands were pressed up against the glass, her eyes still glowing. "See, he never trusted you."
"I trust you with my life Starfire." Dick shouted. He glared at Slade, trying to loosen his weather from his grip. "It's you I don't trust, Slade."
Slade turned to look at Starfire. "I'd find a way out of that box if I were you, because I'm going to do to him, what I did to you. Believe me dear, he will not survive it. Do you remember? The solar energy? The pain it caused you? Remember how your heart stopped and I had to revive you? You owe me a life, but I'll gladly take his in your place. This is what the Titans get for bringing my son into our fight and using him against me. Take a good long look at your 'leader' Titans, because the next time you see him, he won't be breathing." And then he was gone.
"Robin!" Raven shouted to thin air as if it would help, but Slade was long gone with Robin. This was bad. She turned to look at Starfire who still had her hands up against the glass, her expression was fairly blank given the circumstances. But then Raven noticed that her hands were slowly balling. Her arms were trembling as she dragged her fingers down the glass and, to everyone's horror, was leaving scratches on it.
Starfire's mind was reeling. Flashes of memories were hitting her and none of them were making sense. She had an idea of what Slade was talking about, but was mixing up what she thought were actual memories, with the flashes of the recording Robin had shown her of how Slade enhanced her energy the first time. Either way, Robin was in very real danger and she needed to help him.
"Star…" Cyborg's voice was tentative. She turned to look at him, her eyes still glowing. "You need to calm down."
"No." She growled the word out. She could feel the energy spiking within her, her fury fuelling the already enhanced power.
"Starfire," Raven's voice was hard. "There's nothing you can do. You need to calm down. We will help Robin, you need to…"
"Let me out. I will save Robin." Starfire's breathing had become heavy, and she moved away from the glass to spit out a glob of blood on the floor.
"No, you need to calm down. You're aggravating your own energy levels. Starfire you're hurting yourself." Raven was almost pleading with her.
"Let. Me. Out."
"Come on, Star. You know we can't do that." Beast Boy shifted back to himself and looked at her, his eyes big. "We don't know what will happen if we let you out. You could turn again."
"Robin needs me!" Her voice echoed throughout the room as she shouted. She had had enough of this. They were wasting time. She faced the glass straight on and brought her hands up above her head, clenching her fists together.
"What are you doing, flygirl?" Cyborg pulled Raven back away from the glass on instinct.
"Robin needs me." This time she said it quieter, but let out a cry of rage as she flung her hands forward and connected with the glass. Raven, Beast Boy, and Jason all covered their ears and shut their eyes tight as the sound of glass shattering hit them. Tiny shards of glass exploded throughout the room and Cyborg used his arm to protect his human eye. When they all looked, Starfire was heaving as she stood in the middle of the room, cuts littering her hands and glass strewn around them.
As Starfire steadied her breath. She turned to the rest of them, her face showing more seriousness than they had ever seen. "I know where he has taken Robin. I know what he is going to do to him. I can stop him, but I am going to need your help." She brushed some glass from her shoulder and moved towards them.
"Starfire," Cyborg started, "I want to help Robin as much as the next guy, but how do we know you're… you know… you? Your powers are still there, which is telling me that collar has failed."
"It has not failed Cyborg. I am what Slade has made of me. You are just going to have to trust me. I can save Robin without your help, but it will be easier if I have it."
"Alright Star," Raven placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "We're in. But the minute I sense anything wrong with you, I'm bringing you back here."
Starfire nodded at her, it was the best given the situation.
"Dudes, where are we going, and what do we do about Jason?" Beast Boy asked, pointing to the boy standing behind him.
"Nah, don't worry about me." Jason lifted his broken arm. "I'm not gonna be much help anyway."
"Jason, my sincerest apologies for your arm." Starfire moved to him and pulled him into a hug. Jason awkwardly patted her back with his good hand before being released
"No worries."
"Please, when Batman returns, inform him his presence is required at Titans Tower. Also, Batgirl, if she is not otherwise engaged. You may get there before we do, but please tell him the Titans will be there."
Jason didn't have time to respond as Starfire moved away from him. "Let us depart, we do not have the luxury of time."
"Where are we going?" Raven huddled everyone together.
"Jump City Docks."
In the next breath, Jason was left alone.