Chapter 6
"She risked everything... for us." Beast Boy repeated numbly. Raven made a teeny noise that, coming from anyone else, would have sounded like a sob. Beast Boy abandoned the conversation with Cyborg, walking over to enfold her in his arms.
"She's gonna' be fine..." He soothed, not even completely certain himself. He could feel her shivering through her cloak as he tightened his arms around her, gently stroking her back.
"How do you know?" She asked, refusing to be comforted.
"I don't..." He said, faltering slightly. He could feel the tension in her body, as he continued to try and soothe her, "But this is Starfire. She'll find a way to get back to us..."
Raven quieted, relaxing into his arms. Cyborg had the sense to retreat quietly to survey another part of the building. Beast Boy tilted his head, trying to catch a glimpse of her eyes beneath her hood, to know what she was thinking.
"She's my best friend... I don't think I could stand it if I lost her. Not after everything we've been through."
"I know, I feel the same way, but she made the decision to save us. She had to know what she was doing,"
"Then why would she do it?" Beast Boy could feel her body beginning to tense again, he did the only thing he could think of. Titling her head, he pressed his lips against hers. After a few moments of tense surprise she tremblingly returned the kiss. Beast Boy broke away from her gently, refusing to release her from his arms.
"She did it because she loves us all."
OOOOO
"I don't think we can fight them off for much longer!" Robin panted, slamming his staff into yet another robot. But they kept coming, beating their defenses down with their sheer numbers. Starfire continued to throw starbolt after starbolt, fighting doggedly alongside her older self.
The only one who didn't seem fatigued by the fight was the older Starfire. Her powers had obviously progressed from that of her younger self. She could control long bursts of energy, sweeping over the robots like a laser, destroying masses of them in one stroke. She tried her hardest to keep the brunt of the battle away from the Titans, but there were so many, it was beginning to wear on her. I wish the others were here! She caught herself thinking more than once, each thought giving her a renewed burst of energy. If I don't succeed, they're finished, and this is my chance to make up for my mistake all those years ago. I couldn't save you then Robin, but I can save you now.
She gathered the last of her energy, the raging green in her mind growing to consume her. Raven! I know you're there! Listen, you have to form a barrier around the other Titans! Hurry!
In the back of her mind she could feel Raven's confusion. Please! You have to protect them! Without a second thought, Raven threw up a shield of mental energy, consuming the Titans in a blaze of black.
"Star?" Her older self grasped for the younger's hand. "I need your help." Catching her hand, Starfire nodded.
"Anything."
Unable to hold the blaze of power back any longer, she gasped, "Hold on..." Before it raged to consume her completely.
Star screamed at the energy that raged through her, blasting from her to consume the robots in a burning mass. The intense glow faded, leaving a burned shell. Nothing moved, not even the slightest ripple. Only a black ball in the center of the battlefield remained untouched.
A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she looked back to see the older Starfire watching her.
"I'm sorry. I should have warned you what was about to happen. I needed a channel for the energy I was about to release. I have never tired that before, but I am glad it worked." Both floated to the ground, stumbling slightly as they landed.
"I am uninjured, merely surprised."
The black glow faded, revealing the forms of her friends. They looked astonished and Robin hurried over to Star.
"Are you all right?" How did you manage to defeat all of them?"
Leaving Star to explain, the older Star walked over to where Beast Boy and Cyborg were helping Raven to stand. Gently extending her hand, she laid it on the girl's shoulder.
I wish I could have prepared you for that.
It was a strain, but I'm fine.
It was much more than a strain my young friend. I do not know if even my Raven could have held a defense against a blast such as that. To risk yourself to save your friends, and to have them never know what you went through is... difficult. But I know, and I am proud to be your friend. Past, present, or future.
Squeezing her shoulder, Star left Raven alone with her thoughts. "She requires silence in order to meditate," She told the others, "Please carry her to her room."
Cyborg and Beast Boy carried her to her room as Starfire returned to join Robin and her younger self.
"I don't see Slade." She said, voicing the concern that had been on her mind since speaking with Raven.
"We were just considering the same thing..." Robin said, frustration creeping into his voice.
The older Star suddenly let out a tiny moan, falling to her knees on the ground.
"Are you all right?" Both Titans moved to help her up, but as they stooped to grab her their hands passed right through her.
"What-?" Gaping in shock they stared at her.
"My time is up... Slade didn't capture anyone... We prevented my future from being created... Everything is going to be fine now..." She looked up at Starfire, her body already becoming see-through. "Tell Raven... Tell her I will miss her. And Robin? Don't be afraid. Just say what you feel, everything will work out fine. Tell Cyborg and Beast Boy that they have always been important to me. I just wish.. I could have said these things to the others..."
"You just did." Star whispered, ducking to press her hand against the other Star's fast disappearing one, "We won't forget."
Just as she faded completely, she gave them a small smile, "Oh, and tell Cyborg and Beast Boy that there's a secret passage on level nine of Demon Wars 2, it teleports you to an ultra-secret level. I know they've been trying to find it for ages..." Her laugh hung in the air long after she had disappeared...
OOOOO
Author's Note: Hopefully in my upcoming stories I will answer any questions you may have about this story. I am going to write the Pre-qual to "The End Of The Beginning." (Just think of this as a Star Wars thing and we'll all be fine.) It will explain the story of what happens before Starfire came back from the future. The whole story on what would have happened if Slade really had captured Robin that faithful day. It will all take place in the future, starting with Robin's capture and ending with Starfire being sent back to the past and whatever comes in between. (It will also fill in all the gaps Starfire left in the plot during her telling of the story!) I should be good. (Not to mention long) So don't miss it!
MysteryMaiden7
"She risked everything... for us." Beast Boy repeated numbly. Raven made a teeny noise that, coming from anyone else, would have sounded like a sob. Beast Boy abandoned the conversation with Cyborg, walking over to enfold her in his arms.
"She's gonna' be fine..." He soothed, not even completely certain himself. He could feel her shivering through her cloak as he tightened his arms around her, gently stroking her back.
"How do you know?" She asked, refusing to be comforted.
"I don't..." He said, faltering slightly. He could feel the tension in her body, as he continued to try and soothe her, "But this is Starfire. She'll find a way to get back to us..."
Raven quieted, relaxing into his arms. Cyborg had the sense to retreat quietly to survey another part of the building. Beast Boy tilted his head, trying to catch a glimpse of her eyes beneath her hood, to know what she was thinking.
"She's my best friend... I don't think I could stand it if I lost her. Not after everything we've been through."
"I know, I feel the same way, but she made the decision to save us. She had to know what she was doing,"
"Then why would she do it?" Beast Boy could feel her body beginning to tense again, he did the only thing he could think of. Titling her head, he pressed his lips against hers. After a few moments of tense surprise she tremblingly returned the kiss. Beast Boy broke away from her gently, refusing to release her from his arms.
"She did it because she loves us all."
OOOOO
"I don't think we can fight them off for much longer!" Robin panted, slamming his staff into yet another robot. But they kept coming, beating their defenses down with their sheer numbers. Starfire continued to throw starbolt after starbolt, fighting doggedly alongside her older self.
The only one who didn't seem fatigued by the fight was the older Starfire. Her powers had obviously progressed from that of her younger self. She could control long bursts of energy, sweeping over the robots like a laser, destroying masses of them in one stroke. She tried her hardest to keep the brunt of the battle away from the Titans, but there were so many, it was beginning to wear on her. I wish the others were here! She caught herself thinking more than once, each thought giving her a renewed burst of energy. If I don't succeed, they're finished, and this is my chance to make up for my mistake all those years ago. I couldn't save you then Robin, but I can save you now.
She gathered the last of her energy, the raging green in her mind growing to consume her. Raven! I know you're there! Listen, you have to form a barrier around the other Titans! Hurry!
In the back of her mind she could feel Raven's confusion. Please! You have to protect them! Without a second thought, Raven threw up a shield of mental energy, consuming the Titans in a blaze of black.
"Star?" Her older self grasped for the younger's hand. "I need your help." Catching her hand, Starfire nodded.
"Anything."
Unable to hold the blaze of power back any longer, she gasped, "Hold on..." Before it raged to consume her completely.
Star screamed at the energy that raged through her, blasting from her to consume the robots in a burning mass. The intense glow faded, leaving a burned shell. Nothing moved, not even the slightest ripple. Only a black ball in the center of the battlefield remained untouched.
A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she looked back to see the older Starfire watching her.
"I'm sorry. I should have warned you what was about to happen. I needed a channel for the energy I was about to release. I have never tired that before, but I am glad it worked." Both floated to the ground, stumbling slightly as they landed.
"I am uninjured, merely surprised."
The black glow faded, revealing the forms of her friends. They looked astonished and Robin hurried over to Star.
"Are you all right?" How did you manage to defeat all of them?"
Leaving Star to explain, the older Star walked over to where Beast Boy and Cyborg were helping Raven to stand. Gently extending her hand, she laid it on the girl's shoulder.
I wish I could have prepared you for that.
It was a strain, but I'm fine.
It was much more than a strain my young friend. I do not know if even my Raven could have held a defense against a blast such as that. To risk yourself to save your friends, and to have them never know what you went through is... difficult. But I know, and I am proud to be your friend. Past, present, or future.
Squeezing her shoulder, Star left Raven alone with her thoughts. "She requires silence in order to meditate," She told the others, "Please carry her to her room."
Cyborg and Beast Boy carried her to her room as Starfire returned to join Robin and her younger self.
"I don't see Slade." She said, voicing the concern that had been on her mind since speaking with Raven.
"We were just considering the same thing..." Robin said, frustration creeping into his voice.
The older Star suddenly let out a tiny moan, falling to her knees on the ground.
"Are you all right?" Both Titans moved to help her up, but as they stooped to grab her their hands passed right through her.
"What-?" Gaping in shock they stared at her.
"My time is up... Slade didn't capture anyone... We prevented my future from being created... Everything is going to be fine now..." She looked up at Starfire, her body already becoming see-through. "Tell Raven... Tell her I will miss her. And Robin? Don't be afraid. Just say what you feel, everything will work out fine. Tell Cyborg and Beast Boy that they have always been important to me. I just wish.. I could have said these things to the others..."
"You just did." Star whispered, ducking to press her hand against the other Star's fast disappearing one, "We won't forget."
Just as she faded completely, she gave them a small smile, "Oh, and tell Cyborg and Beast Boy that there's a secret passage on level nine of Demon Wars 2, it teleports you to an ultra-secret level. I know they've been trying to find it for ages..." Her laugh hung in the air long after she had disappeared...
OOOOO
Author's Note: Hopefully in my upcoming stories I will answer any questions you may have about this story. I am going to write the Pre-qual to "The End Of The Beginning." (Just think of this as a Star Wars thing and we'll all be fine.) It will explain the story of what happens before Starfire came back from the future. The whole story on what would have happened if Slade really had captured Robin that faithful day. It will all take place in the future, starting with Robin's capture and ending with Starfire being sent back to the past and whatever comes in between. (It will also fill in all the gaps Starfire left in the plot during her telling of the story!) I should be good. (Not to mention long) So don't miss it!
MysteryMaiden7