Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or Sleeping Beauty.

This story is dedicated to SocialButterfli; without you, this story wouldn't have existed. Thanks, amiga!

Chapter 3

Starfire was in shock. There was no way the last few seconds had actually happened…there was no possible way that Robin had actually hurt her, was there? It had to have been some ridiculous hallucination, some kind of nightmare that she could wake up from.

The pain was impossible to ignore though…she'd felt the fist connect with her stomach, she saw that the fist belonged to Robin, and she certainly saw now that he was staring at her with pure hate in his eyes. It hurt her, far worse than the physical blow, to see such anger in his eyes directed at her.

"Robin…why have you attacked me?" Starfire managed to get out, though her voice was shaking terribly.

Robin smiled…but it was not the warm, inviting smile Starfire had always seen there before. It was a vicious, sinister smile, one she had seen on the faces of countless villains. It was anything but warm and inviting now…it was downright terrifying.

"Because you disgust me," Robin spat. "You always have. You're always acting so innocent, so wonderful, so perfectly perfect…it makes me want to throw up. I despise you, Starfire."

The words cut Starfire like knives. No, this wasn't happening…it couldn't be happening, not coming from Robin…he wouldn't, couldn't be saying these things…not her closest, most dear friend…

"Robin, something's wrong with you," Raven said, equally shocked. "You're not yourself at all. We need to get you some help."

"Nothing's wrong with me, Raven," Robin said. "In fact, I'm feeling better than ever." He turned his evil grin upon Raven, and quite suddenly Raven knew what was coming. She waved her hands and a wall of dark energy sprang up in front of her, milliseconds ahead of the explosive pellets that Robin had thrown at her.

"Robin, what are you…AUGH!" Beast Boy cried out as Robin's staff caught him square in the jaw. "Oh, you did not just do that!"

"What are you gonna do about it, greenie?" Robin sneered, and swung again, catching Beast Boy in the face once again and sending him sprawling to the ground, out cold.

"Robin, you better calm down. Don't make me shoot you!" Cyborg warned from behind, leveling his sonic cannon at Robin.

Robin looked around, staring down the barrel of the cannon, and laughed. "You don't have the guts to shoot me, tin man. Literally." Robin hurled a birdarang at Cyborg, which hit his cannon dead center and exploded.

"Ah! My cannon! Oh, now you're gonna get it, little man!" Cyborg swung his good fist at Robin, but Robin was far faster than Cyborg, and dodged his clumsy blows easily before slapping a round disc on Cyborg's back. A second later the disc released a huge electric shock, overloading Cyborg's circuits. The usual blue glow of his cybernetic parts faded to black as he collapsed in a heap, motionless.

A sudden tug at Robin's waist made him glance down; his utility belt was suddenly glowing black. The buckle clicked open all on its own and flew from around his waist to land in Raven's outstretched hand.

"You're not going to get much further without this," Raven noted. "Now I'm giving you one last chance, Robin. Stop this, now. Before I make you stop."

"Hah. As though I needed those trinkets to beat someone as weak and pathetic as you," Robin taunted. "Always hiding behind your magic walls and shields, never fighting like a real hero…you fight more like a coward."

Raven glared back furiously, and a hint of a dangerous red glow appeared in her eyes.

"Besides, you forgot this," Robin added, indicating his staff. "Here, catch!"

He hurled his staff like a javelin straight at Raven's head. She caught it with her powers and tossed it aside, but took her eyes of Robin for just a moment as she did so, and that was all it took; when she turned back, she only had time to notice her vision was filled by a great steel boot before it crashed into her. Raven flew backward and slammed into the wall of the jewelry store, and didn't move.

"I think these belong to me," Robin said to Raven's unconscious form as he stooped to retrieve his staff and belt. "Now, all that's left…" he said, looking around again, "is you." His eyes had settled on the horrified figure of Starfire. She hadn't moved from where she'd stood since Robin had hit her, watching in disbelief as Robin had one by one defeated the rest of the Titans. For reasons that Starfire couldn't even begin to guess at, let alone understand, Robin had turned on her…on all of them.

This is wrong, Starfire heard herself think. Robin would never do these things. This is surely a nightmare…I must have fallen asleep while I was reading the Sleeping Beauty, and now I am dreaming these terrible images.

But then Robin was suddenly right in front of her, and she felt another wave of pain as he struck her stomach again, knocking the air from her lungs. Starfire fell to her knees, struggling for breath. She realized with a horrible, sinking feeling in her heart that this was no dream; the pain was far too real.

"I never want to see your ugly face again," Robin said in a harsh whisper, and the pain in Starfire's stomach migrated to her heart once again and seemed to grow tenfold. She looked back up, but Robin had turned away. He was mounting his R-cycle, which had been parked a few feet away next to the T-car. With another visible smirk he tossed another handful of explosive pellets through the open window of the T-car, and in seconds Cyborg's baby was a smoldering ruin. Then he sped off toward the harbor without so much as a backward glance.

"R…Robin…" Starfire whispered to herself, "…why…?"

Starfire…are you all right? a new voice rang in her head. Starfire's head snapped up and looked wildly around, but she saw no one.

It's okay, Star, it's me, Raven, the voice identified itself. Listen to me…you have to go after Robin. You're the only one who can. The rest of us are in no condition to do anything right now.

Starfire looked over to Raven's body and realized she was quite right; the dark girl was still motionless. She must have recovered only just enough to send her thoughts out to the young alien girl.

Star, I know how you must be feeling…I know he hurt you. He hurt all of us. But you know as well as I do that was NOT the Robin we know, not really. Something happened to him tonight, Star. You have to follow him and find out what it is. Hurry, go…before he gets away.

"But what about…?" Star began to say.

Don't worry about us, we'll live. Just go! Now!

Star took a deep breath, steadying her nerves and her heart. Raven had to be right, she told herself. The Robin she knew would never have said those hurtful things, would never have attacked her so violently. The Killer Moth has done something to my friend, Starfire thought. I must get him back!

Feeling at least somewhat more confident, Starfire flew off toward the harbor after the Boy Wonder, hoping against hope that Raven was right…and trying not to think about what it would mean if she wasn't.