Chapter Four
Robin watched his friend's body glow a disconcerting green, which was steadily pulsating to Starfire's heartbeat. Beastboy sat in his yellow orb of a prison and bit his nails in anxiety over his fate, over Starfire's fate and the rest of the team.
'Even if I do fool around and joke a lot, they mean a lot to me,' he thought in his straightforward way. Raven's face only showed the merest hint of worry, knowing that if she let her emotions loose, her powers, her curse, would eventually destroy her and her friends. So she sat and breathed evenly, trying to distill the uneasiness in her heart. 'I have to be strong for the others.'
Inside, Robin was a spiral of emotions.
His thoughts focussed on one memory, a few days before, when Starfire had come to him with several questions from an earthly magazine she had been reading. From an alien culture that celebrated emotion, the lost teenager from Tamaran had not comprehended the earthly way of females who strive for physical perfection.
"Robin what is 'perfection'?" she had asked, her eyes wide and green, puzzled over the foreign word. Robin had just stared at her appraisingly, thinking on what he should tell her. Finally, he responded to her query with; "Perfection means you're striving to be good at something." Starfire mused over this while Robin casually finished watching his television program.
Finally, she thought aloud, "Then I must start perfection in my training as soon as possible!" with a happy smile on her naive face, she stood, before a surprised robin pulled her back down to the couch, grabbing her hands so the red head wouldn't move away.
"Star, you don't need to do that. Perfection is something only diehards shoot for. It's good to be skilled at something, but there's always someone better." Starfire had blushed as red as her hair, and robin's prolonged hold on her hands lessened. Robin looked at her warmly and finished. "Besides Star, you're perfect to all of us, we wouldn't want you to change." Starfire had hugged him then and exclaimed with joy.
Now there was no joy, just a sad ache as Starfire's green power slowly faded into her, and Cyborg groaned. The metallic teenager stood with his hand rubbing his aching head. He checked his scanners and let out a sigh. During the game of deadly 'tag', he had been operating at only 84% of his abilities. He then took in his surroundings, and watched as Starfire's floating form was gently lowered to the ground. He came to his battle senses after noticing Atlas's moving body and ran over to where the Teen Titans, or what was left of them, who were clamoring for help from their friend.
Looking in confusion at the odd buttons, the teen grew frustrated until he finally simply shattered the console. Instantly, the shields dropped, their energy out-puts shot.
Atlas glared at Cyborg, who stood in front of Robin, Raven and Beastboy. Then, a wicked grin spilt the machine's face as he charged forward. Expecting an assault, Cyborg leaped back, closer to his friends, only to stop in terror when the yellow plated robot picked up a comatose Starfire.
"To give you an added incentive to find Atlas, humans." He sneered before flinging the unconscious alien over his shoulder and disappearing through the floor.
He had gauged them all accurately. Somehow, the Titans all thought, it is not going to be the same. Going back to the tower was not an option for the group, as it was now, the deafening silence was oppressive enough. The tower's blank emptiness was not as great as the teen titan's own, each one was dealing with conflicting emotions.
"Starfire..." whispered Beastboy, staring with wide, saddened eyes where his friend used to be. He knew that she had done the power show at danger to herself. The green changeling admired stars ingenious plan. By threatening to destroy her body with her own power, she had earned the, time, and their own eventual escape. Starfire had gauged Atlas's interest in her life accurately, and had now paid the price. The jokester sighed quietly.
Raven's stoic face was the only calm thing on the scene. Years of meditation now came in good use as she grappled with her own feelings. Nevertheless, the chair that atlas had watched his captives from was engulfed in a black glow ad began to melt. Beastboy and Cyborg knew not to comment.
Robin's distorted face was darkened with anger and fear. He clutched his fists tightly and grappled with himself. He turned on Cyborg, his mask hiding most of his face.
"Why didn't you stop him?! You could have reached her in time!" he yelled, trying to get his fueling anger out of his system in time, before he did something he would regret. Hope seemed to have vanished among the teenagers, and the one could almost taste the scent of fear on the air.
Cyborg had been staring at the floor, his arms and legs aching and his head pounding. But the worst thing about the extent of his injuries was emotional.
'I failed her, I failed them, I failed her...'
It was an endless loop in his mind, and the voice of defeat nearly drowned out robin's accusing voice. His sad eyes turned up to robin's face, masked with fury.
"I know." He sad quietly, his former spirit gone in the tragic loss of his teammate.
"Look, is anyone here actually planning to get their butts in gear and find Starfire?" demanded Beastboy; he had had enough. "You're fighting the wrong person Robin! Atlas wants us to find him! Cyborg tried, and look what happened, we're free! Dude, we're out of the yellow bubbles!" he was going to continue, but was stopped by a loud, male, human groan.
The Titans turned as one towards the voice, everyone in a battle stance as black orbs surrounded Raven's hands, an extendable staff appeared in Robin's hands and one of Cyborg's hands had become a cannon. Some of his fight had returned to his eyes, but he moved sluggishly. A green tiger growled in warning, before sniffing the air cautiously, then padding forward on sinuous legs to drag the human known as mechanic away from a pile of kegs labeled OIL. Beastboy changed back to his own form slowly, and crouched on the ground, his limber body used to the movement and stillness that was needed. Robin stepped forward, his face composed, and knelt near the man who had captured them, who was slowly pulling himself out of his own unconscious state. Mechanic lifted a shaky hand to his head, feeling his skull for open wounds. His dull eyes brightened considerably, and he scowled at robin when his form came into his curious sight.
"What'd you do with Atlas?" demanded the man. The group of teens stared at him solemnly.
"He abandoned you, to kidnap one of our friends," Robin said. The man paled and shook his head in disbelief.
"Yeah right. Atlas is the best there is, and I help him. He wouldn't forget that just to pick up some dumb kid." Robin swept his hand behind him at the mechanics words.
"Do you see Atlas? Do you see our friend? You should face up to it. Atlas doesn't respect you, at all. You're human, like us. You should be on our side, not his. One day he'll forget that you help him, and only see the human in you. Maybe that day was today, because I think we all see a human in front of us." Robin demanded in a strong voice, hope coming back to him n the form of the mechanic.
'He might be the key to getting Starfire back.'
Cyborg and the others were no longer in attack mode, and after listening to the conversation were still wary. Mechanic was sitting silently, contemplating all that had been said to him, present and past. He remembered the contempt he had faced from atlas, the barbs and insults, and the understanding in the little kid's words.
Finally the man stood, and pressed a button on his hover pack so that he was floating above the ground, defying the master of the Earth-gravity. He started to fly up, and noticed that no one was following him. He looked back to the range of emotions on the kid's faces, from hope to stoic to calm to wary, and then back to Robin's hopeful expression.
"Well?" he asked, a slow smile spreading over his face. "Aren't you coming?"
"Where to?" asked Beastboy, slow as always.
"We're gonna rescue your friend of course!" mechanic said, ad flew out of the hole in the ceiling.
The titans all looked at each other briefly in surprise before racing after the startling human
I'm terribly sorry for any and all mistakes. I have no beta reader, and I just churned this chapter between physical education and algebra and art. Please enjoy the story and supply feedback for this author! I love all of my reviewers!
I own nothing in this story except for the plot.
Robin watched his friend's body glow a disconcerting green, which was steadily pulsating to Starfire's heartbeat. Beastboy sat in his yellow orb of a prison and bit his nails in anxiety over his fate, over Starfire's fate and the rest of the team.
'Even if I do fool around and joke a lot, they mean a lot to me,' he thought in his straightforward way. Raven's face only showed the merest hint of worry, knowing that if she let her emotions loose, her powers, her curse, would eventually destroy her and her friends. So she sat and breathed evenly, trying to distill the uneasiness in her heart. 'I have to be strong for the others.'
Inside, Robin was a spiral of emotions.
His thoughts focussed on one memory, a few days before, when Starfire had come to him with several questions from an earthly magazine she had been reading. From an alien culture that celebrated emotion, the lost teenager from Tamaran had not comprehended the earthly way of females who strive for physical perfection.
"Robin what is 'perfection'?" she had asked, her eyes wide and green, puzzled over the foreign word. Robin had just stared at her appraisingly, thinking on what he should tell her. Finally, he responded to her query with; "Perfection means you're striving to be good at something." Starfire mused over this while Robin casually finished watching his television program.
Finally, she thought aloud, "Then I must start perfection in my training as soon as possible!" with a happy smile on her naive face, she stood, before a surprised robin pulled her back down to the couch, grabbing her hands so the red head wouldn't move away.
"Star, you don't need to do that. Perfection is something only diehards shoot for. It's good to be skilled at something, but there's always someone better." Starfire had blushed as red as her hair, and robin's prolonged hold on her hands lessened. Robin looked at her warmly and finished. "Besides Star, you're perfect to all of us, we wouldn't want you to change." Starfire had hugged him then and exclaimed with joy.
Now there was no joy, just a sad ache as Starfire's green power slowly faded into her, and Cyborg groaned. The metallic teenager stood with his hand rubbing his aching head. He checked his scanners and let out a sigh. During the game of deadly 'tag', he had been operating at only 84% of his abilities. He then took in his surroundings, and watched as Starfire's floating form was gently lowered to the ground. He came to his battle senses after noticing Atlas's moving body and ran over to where the Teen Titans, or what was left of them, who were clamoring for help from their friend.
Looking in confusion at the odd buttons, the teen grew frustrated until he finally simply shattered the console. Instantly, the shields dropped, their energy out-puts shot.
Atlas glared at Cyborg, who stood in front of Robin, Raven and Beastboy. Then, a wicked grin spilt the machine's face as he charged forward. Expecting an assault, Cyborg leaped back, closer to his friends, only to stop in terror when the yellow plated robot picked up a comatose Starfire.
"To give you an added incentive to find Atlas, humans." He sneered before flinging the unconscious alien over his shoulder and disappearing through the floor.
He had gauged them all accurately. Somehow, the Titans all thought, it is not going to be the same. Going back to the tower was not an option for the group, as it was now, the deafening silence was oppressive enough. The tower's blank emptiness was not as great as the teen titan's own, each one was dealing with conflicting emotions.
"Starfire..." whispered Beastboy, staring with wide, saddened eyes where his friend used to be. He knew that she had done the power show at danger to herself. The green changeling admired stars ingenious plan. By threatening to destroy her body with her own power, she had earned the, time, and their own eventual escape. Starfire had gauged Atlas's interest in her life accurately, and had now paid the price. The jokester sighed quietly.
Raven's stoic face was the only calm thing on the scene. Years of meditation now came in good use as she grappled with her own feelings. Nevertheless, the chair that atlas had watched his captives from was engulfed in a black glow ad began to melt. Beastboy and Cyborg knew not to comment.
Robin's distorted face was darkened with anger and fear. He clutched his fists tightly and grappled with himself. He turned on Cyborg, his mask hiding most of his face.
"Why didn't you stop him?! You could have reached her in time!" he yelled, trying to get his fueling anger out of his system in time, before he did something he would regret. Hope seemed to have vanished among the teenagers, and the one could almost taste the scent of fear on the air.
Cyborg had been staring at the floor, his arms and legs aching and his head pounding. But the worst thing about the extent of his injuries was emotional.
'I failed her, I failed them, I failed her...'
It was an endless loop in his mind, and the voice of defeat nearly drowned out robin's accusing voice. His sad eyes turned up to robin's face, masked with fury.
"I know." He sad quietly, his former spirit gone in the tragic loss of his teammate.
"Look, is anyone here actually planning to get their butts in gear and find Starfire?" demanded Beastboy; he had had enough. "You're fighting the wrong person Robin! Atlas wants us to find him! Cyborg tried, and look what happened, we're free! Dude, we're out of the yellow bubbles!" he was going to continue, but was stopped by a loud, male, human groan.
The Titans turned as one towards the voice, everyone in a battle stance as black orbs surrounded Raven's hands, an extendable staff appeared in Robin's hands and one of Cyborg's hands had become a cannon. Some of his fight had returned to his eyes, but he moved sluggishly. A green tiger growled in warning, before sniffing the air cautiously, then padding forward on sinuous legs to drag the human known as mechanic away from a pile of kegs labeled OIL. Beastboy changed back to his own form slowly, and crouched on the ground, his limber body used to the movement and stillness that was needed. Robin stepped forward, his face composed, and knelt near the man who had captured them, who was slowly pulling himself out of his own unconscious state. Mechanic lifted a shaky hand to his head, feeling his skull for open wounds. His dull eyes brightened considerably, and he scowled at robin when his form came into his curious sight.
"What'd you do with Atlas?" demanded the man. The group of teens stared at him solemnly.
"He abandoned you, to kidnap one of our friends," Robin said. The man paled and shook his head in disbelief.
"Yeah right. Atlas is the best there is, and I help him. He wouldn't forget that just to pick up some dumb kid." Robin swept his hand behind him at the mechanics words.
"Do you see Atlas? Do you see our friend? You should face up to it. Atlas doesn't respect you, at all. You're human, like us. You should be on our side, not his. One day he'll forget that you help him, and only see the human in you. Maybe that day was today, because I think we all see a human in front of us." Robin demanded in a strong voice, hope coming back to him n the form of the mechanic.
'He might be the key to getting Starfire back.'
Cyborg and the others were no longer in attack mode, and after listening to the conversation were still wary. Mechanic was sitting silently, contemplating all that had been said to him, present and past. He remembered the contempt he had faced from atlas, the barbs and insults, and the understanding in the little kid's words.
Finally the man stood, and pressed a button on his hover pack so that he was floating above the ground, defying the master of the Earth-gravity. He started to fly up, and noticed that no one was following him. He looked back to the range of emotions on the kid's faces, from hope to stoic to calm to wary, and then back to Robin's hopeful expression.
"Well?" he asked, a slow smile spreading over his face. "Aren't you coming?"
"Where to?" asked Beastboy, slow as always.
"We're gonna rescue your friend of course!" mechanic said, ad flew out of the hole in the ceiling.
The titans all looked at each other briefly in surprise before racing after the startling human
I'm terribly sorry for any and all mistakes. I have no beta reader, and I just churned this chapter between physical education and algebra and art. Please enjoy the story and supply feedback for this author! I love all of my reviewers!
I own nothing in this story except for the plot.