Firestorm
Batman/Teen Titans
By Amos Whirly
Chapter Four: Arrival
He landed roughly on the roof of the building, sharp eyes watching every move their attacker made. The woman was tall and slender, quite beautiful, actually. Her hair was long and black, and her eyes flashed purple.
Batman watched as she blasted Batgirl off her feet. He moved quickly and caught her as she fell, righting her as soon as she was safe in his arms.
"This is ridiculous," Batgirl murmured, watching Robin attack the strange woman only to be thrown backward viciously. "How can we beat her if we can't even get close enough to hit her?"
Batman did not answer but straightened and glared at the woman.
"So," she suddenly began to speak, "you are the Batman."
Batgirl and Robin exchanged a glance across the roof.
"I've so wanted to meet you," the woman continued in a beguiling voice, the glowing purple light dimming to reveal startling black eyes, "but now that I see you, I must admit, I'm not impressed."
"Who are you?" Batgirl shouted.
Robin scrambled to his feet, the wind catching in his cape, demanding, "Why are you working with the Joker?"
"You'll figure it out soon enough," she glowered at him, her eyes beginning to flash again.
With a shout, a host of armed men flooded onto the roof and charged. Maniacal laughter echoed around the rooftops.
"Finally," Robin muttered under his breath. "Something I can actually hit."
As the Joker's henchmen surrounded and attacked, the strange woman floated in the air and moved toward the sidelines, watching the fight. She scowled darkly as a lithe figure scrambled up the fire escape and perched on the ledge next to her.
"Not too shabby, eh?" he asked, the wind blowing in his gelled green hair.
"I am not at all impressed with anything I have yet seen," she responded.
"Oh, you're no fun at all," the Joker pouted.
He frowned as he watched the woman's eyes following Robin's movements.
"You know," the Joker began folding his hands across his chest, "that's not the same one you knew, right? I'd hoped you were smarter than that."
He grunted as the woman backhanded him, and he nearly toppled off the ledge.
"Don't get smart with me," she ordered.
He glared at her, infuriated, but he said nothing.
Batgirl punched one of the men in the face, and he fell backward, landing on top of two other men. Batman kicked two into the side of the ledge, and Robin tied one up with a piece of wire that lay discarded on the roof.
The woman watched with a smile.
"Singularly," she muttered, "they are not impressive, but together—together. They move as one."
"Yes, moving as one. That's all very important, isn't it," the Joker added.
She scowled darkly at him.
"What?"
A revving engine surged through the air, and a black motorcycle screeched to a halt on top of a nearby building. The woman watched as a figure in black leaped off the roof and sailed through the air, landing neatly on top of two of the Joker's henchmen, crushing them to the rooftop.
"Geez, it's about time!" Robin barked as he knocked another man out.
The newcomer did not speak but set to clearing the roof of the henchmen.
"All right then," the woman chuckled, popping her knuckles. "So, the game begins. You," she turned to the Joker, "get out of here. I'll see you back at the club."
The Joker executed a clumsy salute and slid down the fire escape.
Nightwing landed a ferocious punch alongside the head of one of the men, and he kicked another one in the stomach.
"Nightwing!" he heard Batgirl shout. "The Joker! He's getting away!"
Nightwing did not respond but kept knocking henchmen out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw at least fifteen of them swarming around Batman.
Bruce isn't going anywhere fast, he thought as he knocked the henchmen he had just punched down again.
A flash of purple and black alerted his senses.
He turned.
Blackfire.
She was floating in the air just in sight, a sinister smile twisting her beautiful face.
Nightwing moved to charge at her, but another henchman lunged at him. He tripped and sprawled to the rooftop. He looked up and gaped as Blackfire's gaze settled on Robin.
Tim! Nightwing's heart leaped into his throat.
Nightwing struggled to get to his feet, but the henchmen had taken the opportunity to pile on top of him. He watched helplessly as Blackfire surged forward and snatched Robin off his feet.
"Hey!" Robin barked kicking at her. "Let me down!"
"As you wish," Blackfire responded.
And flung him over the ledge.
"Robin!" Batgirl shrieked.
Batman threw the remaining henchmen off of him, but Blackfire leveled another blast in his direction, blowing him off his feet. Nightwing scrambled out from under the pile of men and bolted for the edge of the building.
I can't reach him. There's no way I can get to him!!
But he jumped off anyway, spreading his bright blue wings and plummeting toward the ground.
He could see Robin tumbling toward the concrete.
Having used all his utilities during the fight, Robin had nothing with which to stop his fall.
He was going to hit—
Nightwing tensed in an effort to fall faster, but a sudden burst of wind slammed brutally into him, throwing him off course! He flailed in the air, trying to find the right current on which to ride. He tumbled head over heels through the air until his wings finally latched on to a strong enough gust to carry him to the ground. He landed crooked, still, but he whirled around, desperately looking for Robin's body.
Where is he?
He looked up and down the street. He was no where in sight. There was no sign of impact either.
He took a deep breath and looked up.
"Robin!" Batgirl shouted again and ran to the ledge.
Another blast of purple light slammed into her back, sending her over the edge. She grabbed onto the ledge and tried to scramble over it.
Batman ran at the woman, throwing a punch that could have broken her jaw if it had connected. She maneuvered around it and kicked him in his lower back, driving him into the ledge. He stood and helped Batgirl over the ledge, and they faced the woman together.
"Ridiculous!" the woman cackled. "No wonder no one takes Earth seriously anymore!"
She pointed at them, a sparkling orb of purple light forming in her hand.
"I was hoping the four of you would present more of a challenge," the woman pouted. "Oh, well."
She released the bolt of purple light, but the orb suddenly exploded in a burst of green. The force of the explosion nearly knocked Batgirl over the ledge, but Batman stopped her from falling.
Slowly, the triumphant expression on the woman's face melted into a look of total shock.
"How?" she whispered. "It's not possible!"
She shrieked and jumped off the side of the building. Batman and Batgirl watched in confusion as she flew away.
"Robin," Batgirl turned to the ledge and quickly scanned the street below. "Batman. Batman, I don't see him."
He did not answer. Batgirl turned to him but stopped and followed his gaze.
Across the roof, another woman had suddenly appeared. She was also tall and slender, bearing a startling resemblance to the black-haired woman. Her hair was long and bright red, and her eyes were luminous green. Tucked neatly under her arm, was Robin. Presently, he was shaking his head disorientedly.
"Whoa," he muttered. "What happened?"
Batman and Batgirl watched in stunned silence as she woman pulled Robin into a crushing embrace, squealing, "Robin! I am most overjoyed to stand in your presence once again!"
"Hey, lemme go!" Robin yelped.
"I must admit to thinking you would be slightly taller, though," the woman held him by his shoulders at arm's length. "In fact, it seems you may have shrunk a slight bit."
"What are you talking about?" Robin shouted. "Who are you?"
"Robin!" the woman gasped, tears suddenly filling her bright green eyes. "Do you not know me? It is I. Starfire."