In Sickness and In Health
A shadow of a small teenage boy carrying a girl passed through the city. They stopped at the Teen Titan's Tower. The boy took a free hand and knocked on the door almost dropping her, but catching himself just in time. Beast Boy answered the door. "Guys, you really need to get down here," he called. When they arrived, a light shined on the boy's face. It was Jakt, Robin's double. "Help," he called distantly and collapsed. Robin dove, catching Jakt and the girl before they hit the ground. A light shined on the girl's face. It was Darkflame, Starfire's sister, and she was unconscious. Cyborg picked up Jakt, and Robin and Beast Boy carried Darkflame to the room they used as a sickbay. Jakt woke up in a matter of hours; he was suffering from exhaustion from carrying Darkflame for days on end. But Darkflame wouldn't wake up. Two weeks passed, Starfire was sitting on one side of the bed and Robin on the other. Jakt was slumped in a chair in the corner, trying to get the sleep his mind was blocking. Darkflame's eyes fluttered open. She looked at Robin. "Jakt?" "No, it's Robin." Jakt had bolted upright at the sound of her voice. He ran to her side. "Your awake." "Need to talk to you." "You guys," Jakt said politely. "Could you give us a couple of minutes?" They stood up and left the room. "What is it?" he asked. "I have it." "Have what?" She held out her arm. On the underside of her forearm, the arteries were puffed out and black. "Botovia." "No. That can't be. How did you contract it?" "I don't know, but if this keeps going, our team will be down to four. Where are the others?" "They were captured." "No. Please, don't tell Star about me," she said, very distantly, drifting back off into sleep. The next day, the Tower was attacked. It was Slade. Starfire was in a state of depression, as was Jakt. Slade captured them both, as well as Darkflame. Robin was fighting with all his might, as were Beast Boy and Raven. Cyborg was unconscious. Raven and Beast Boy were captured and tied up. Robin alone was left standing. "We've been through this before, Robin. Come with me or all of your friends will be permanently incapacitated." Robin hung his head and followed. He was taken to Slade's new hideout, a loft in the city. "Robin, you know what I want. Do you agree?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Of course. The choice between becoming my apprentice and having me kill your friends."
"I think one of them is already dying. But yes, I will." Slade began his training.
Where the other Titans were being held, Darkflame had woken up to an angry Starfire.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" she asked. Apparently, Darkflame's arm had slipped, revealing the telltale sign of the deadly disease.
"I'd didn't want you to worry. I'm going to die anyways."
"How did you contract it?" Jakt asked.
"I-I just don't know. There's nothing on this planet that can carry it."
"Then, it was something from another planet."
"Apparently." Slade walked in with Robin.
"Sorry to overhear, but Robin insisted on talking to you. I just hope you know that there is a cure for what you have." Jakt stood up.
"Tell me. Now!"
"I don't think so. Robin, I don't think you can talk to them after all. Get Darkflame. She is coming with us."
"I don't think so," Jakt said.
"I do. Get her Robin." He did so, gently pulling her from the room. They arrived in Slade's control room. It appeared to be sound proof. He motioned for Robin to leave.
"Clever plan, wasn't it?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"This is the second time you've taken part in my plans. Don't you remember?" She thought back. The last time they had fought, the last thing she remembered there was a sharp prick on her arm. That was right before the symptoms started.
"What did you do to me?"
"A simple sedative with black dye. I couldn't have you really dying; you were too useful to my plans." Her eyes grew wide.
"But the sedatives are wearing off. That's why you captured me. This was all just a plot to get to the Teen Titans. You knew I'd go to Starfire."
"Yes. I thank you. And don't try calling for help. This room is soundproof."
"I thought so, but is it mind proof?"
"What?" She called Jakt for help. Robin was in the process of breaking them out of their cell. As soon as the hole in the wall was big enough he jumped though and ran.
Meanwhile, Darkflame was still holding her own. Her power gem was emitting a green energy circle that was slowly draining Slade's energy. "I can't hold him much longer," she thought. At that moment, Jakt, Robin, and the rest of the Titans burst in. That happened to be the same moment Darkflame fainted. Jakt rushed to her side, as did Starfire, but the others, though concerned, took on the heavy task of beating Slade. After several minutes of intense fighting, Darkflame awoke. She smiled, nearly fully revived, at Starfire, who nodded.
Starfire pulled out her charm, an identical gem to Darkflame's, but green, and placed it in the same spot Darkflame's was on her own forehead. They stood up, looked at each other, and placed one finger on each of their temples. A beam of orange came out of Darkflame's gem; a green one out of Starfire's. These mingled and hit Slade with amazing force. He was automatically knocked unconscious. Robin and Jakt threw him into one of his own cells.
"I'm glad you're well, sister," Starfire said. "Will you stay with us?"
"Yet again, no, Starfire," Darkflame said. "Me and Jakt are going to go train with Greenearth on our planet. We will be back in two Earth years. Is that all right?"
"Hurry back sister." They hugged, and Darkflame and Jakt walked off into the night.
A shadow of a small teenage boy carrying a girl passed through the city. They stopped at the Teen Titan's Tower. The boy took a free hand and knocked on the door almost dropping her, but catching himself just in time. Beast Boy answered the door. "Guys, you really need to get down here," he called. When they arrived, a light shined on the boy's face. It was Jakt, Robin's double. "Help," he called distantly and collapsed. Robin dove, catching Jakt and the girl before they hit the ground. A light shined on the girl's face. It was Darkflame, Starfire's sister, and she was unconscious. Cyborg picked up Jakt, and Robin and Beast Boy carried Darkflame to the room they used as a sickbay. Jakt woke up in a matter of hours; he was suffering from exhaustion from carrying Darkflame for days on end. But Darkflame wouldn't wake up. Two weeks passed, Starfire was sitting on one side of the bed and Robin on the other. Jakt was slumped in a chair in the corner, trying to get the sleep his mind was blocking. Darkflame's eyes fluttered open. She looked at Robin. "Jakt?" "No, it's Robin." Jakt had bolted upright at the sound of her voice. He ran to her side. "Your awake." "Need to talk to you." "You guys," Jakt said politely. "Could you give us a couple of minutes?" They stood up and left the room. "What is it?" he asked. "I have it." "Have what?" She held out her arm. On the underside of her forearm, the arteries were puffed out and black. "Botovia." "No. That can't be. How did you contract it?" "I don't know, but if this keeps going, our team will be down to four. Where are the others?" "They were captured." "No. Please, don't tell Star about me," she said, very distantly, drifting back off into sleep. The next day, the Tower was attacked. It was Slade. Starfire was in a state of depression, as was Jakt. Slade captured them both, as well as Darkflame. Robin was fighting with all his might, as were Beast Boy and Raven. Cyborg was unconscious. Raven and Beast Boy were captured and tied up. Robin alone was left standing. "We've been through this before, Robin. Come with me or all of your friends will be permanently incapacitated." Robin hung his head and followed. He was taken to Slade's new hideout, a loft in the city. "Robin, you know what I want. Do you agree?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Of course. The choice between becoming my apprentice and having me kill your friends."
"I think one of them is already dying. But yes, I will." Slade began his training.
Where the other Titans were being held, Darkflame had woken up to an angry Starfire.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" she asked. Apparently, Darkflame's arm had slipped, revealing the telltale sign of the deadly disease.
"I'd didn't want you to worry. I'm going to die anyways."
"How did you contract it?" Jakt asked.
"I-I just don't know. There's nothing on this planet that can carry it."
"Then, it was something from another planet."
"Apparently." Slade walked in with Robin.
"Sorry to overhear, but Robin insisted on talking to you. I just hope you know that there is a cure for what you have." Jakt stood up.
"Tell me. Now!"
"I don't think so. Robin, I don't think you can talk to them after all. Get Darkflame. She is coming with us."
"I don't think so," Jakt said.
"I do. Get her Robin." He did so, gently pulling her from the room. They arrived in Slade's control room. It appeared to be sound proof. He motioned for Robin to leave.
"Clever plan, wasn't it?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"This is the second time you've taken part in my plans. Don't you remember?" She thought back. The last time they had fought, the last thing she remembered there was a sharp prick on her arm. That was right before the symptoms started.
"What did you do to me?"
"A simple sedative with black dye. I couldn't have you really dying; you were too useful to my plans." Her eyes grew wide.
"But the sedatives are wearing off. That's why you captured me. This was all just a plot to get to the Teen Titans. You knew I'd go to Starfire."
"Yes. I thank you. And don't try calling for help. This room is soundproof."
"I thought so, but is it mind proof?"
"What?" She called Jakt for help. Robin was in the process of breaking them out of their cell. As soon as the hole in the wall was big enough he jumped though and ran.
Meanwhile, Darkflame was still holding her own. Her power gem was emitting a green energy circle that was slowly draining Slade's energy. "I can't hold him much longer," she thought. At that moment, Jakt, Robin, and the rest of the Titans burst in. That happened to be the same moment Darkflame fainted. Jakt rushed to her side, as did Starfire, but the others, though concerned, took on the heavy task of beating Slade. After several minutes of intense fighting, Darkflame awoke. She smiled, nearly fully revived, at Starfire, who nodded.
Starfire pulled out her charm, an identical gem to Darkflame's, but green, and placed it in the same spot Darkflame's was on her own forehead. They stood up, looked at each other, and placed one finger on each of their temples. A beam of orange came out of Darkflame's gem; a green one out of Starfire's. These mingled and hit Slade with amazing force. He was automatically knocked unconscious. Robin and Jakt threw him into one of his own cells.
"I'm glad you're well, sister," Starfire said. "Will you stay with us?"
"Yet again, no, Starfire," Darkflame said. "Me and Jakt are going to go train with Greenearth on our planet. We will be back in two Earth years. Is that all right?"
"Hurry back sister." They hugged, and Darkflame and Jakt walked off into the night.