moezy-chan: Thanks I'm glad you like it so far.
robin and star fan: Dont worry just read the story! LoL.
SweetPrincess: Thanks, its nice to have fan. :) Glad you like it.
Ldy Flor: HERE IT IS! HERES THE UPDATE!
Chapter Three
Awakened Memory
AT THE PIZZA PLACE……………………..
The Titans waited in line to order, as was the case on most Friday nights. You'd think the Titans would get some special pass for being the City's protectors and all. However the Titans felt they should be like everyone else and wait their turn. As they stood in line Robin couldn't shake away the feeling that he should be getting back to the tower. Finally he made up his mind.
"Hey guys you get the pizza, I'm gonna head on back and see how Star's doing."
"Roger Wilco," said Beast Boy. Raven rolled her eyes and Robin gave them a nod of thanks. He fast walked out to his bike and was zooming down the road before they had a chance to look back ad see him leave.
At that very same moment a dark figure walked down the hall towards his target's room. What light there existed in the hallway reflected off of his razor sharp Japanese sword. "I never miss." He silently moved down the hallway and stopped in front of sickbay. He peeked through the observation window and saw Starfire lying on her bed. He pressed the door panel but it denied him access. A little surprised he glanced down and saw it required a numerical code in order to open. He snickered at their attempts to keep her safe and took out a small device. He attached it to the panel and within moments had hacked his way into sickbay. He walked to the side of her bed and looked her over from head to toe.
"Pity, something so beautiful must come to end." Himora pulled back the covers a little to expose her neck. According to him the best and quickest way to do this was to go for a head chop. He laid the blade on her skin to get his bearings, as soon as the cold steel touched her she shivered and stirred. He stayed perfectly still until he was sure she had gone back into a deep slumber. He raised his blade in the air and let out a long steady breath. Just as he was about to bring it down the end of a bo-staff was suddenly at his throat. Himora slowly lowered his sword and turned his head to see Robin holding the weapon.
"Not one more step!" He said fiercely but quietly.
"And just who are you? Her boyfriend?" He let out a silent laugh.
"Spill it! Why are you trying to kill her?"
"It's nothing personal, just business."
"Business?"
"Of course. My art is of great demand; I go all over the world. This is the first time however that I've been employed to hunt an alien, I also get paid triple for royalty." Robin's eyes widened. 'Did he just say royalty?'
"What do you know about her? Who hired you," Robin shot out the questions as they came flooding into his mind. He had apparently spat his last question a little louder because Starfire had begun to sit up.
"Robin? Is it a new day already," she asked through droopy eye lids. Her eyes suddenly snapped open when she realized who else was in the room." Robin! Who is this person!"
"Don't worry Star we'll take of hi"- He turned his head respond to Star and that was all Himora needed. In a flash he knocked away Robin's staff and it clattered to the floor. He tackled to boy wonder and they tumbled out the door and into the hall. Himora grasped at Robin's throat and bore down on him. Gasping for breath Robin reached around the assassin's arms and punched him square in the jaw. Robin rolled back onto his feet and Himora straightened up while also unsheathing his sword. Robin brought out a spare staff and stood in a ready position.
"You do not have a hope of defeating a master of the blade, it is advised that you lay down your weapon and let me finish my job." Robin moved in front of the door to sickbay.
"There's only one way back in there, and it's through me!"
"So be it, you have had your warning!" He charged at Robin sending a series of diagonal slashes his way. Robin quickly dodged them and just missed a backwards stab as he rounded his enemy. Robin backed away slightly and after he stopped a large section of his cape came free from being cut by Himora's sword. He glanced down at it and raised an eyebrow. 'Alright, this guy's pretty good. But not good enough.' Running forward Robin took out two bird-a-rangs and launched them at his enemy. Himora caught one and blocked the other sending it back at Robin. Robin rolled forward to avoid his own weapon and when he came up clanged his staff against Himora's sword. They struggled against each other trying to knock the other off balance.
"I never miss my target boy; I will not allow you to break such a record!" He brought Robin's captured bird-a-rang up and sliced his shoulder. Robin staggered backward letting out a yelp in pain. Himora sliced his Bo in half and kicked him to the ground against the wall. Robin moved to get up but was pressed back down by Himora's foot. "You were merely a target of opportunity, I thank you for providing it." He was yet again about to strike his target when Starfire ran up and tackled him off to the side. She held him down to the floor and kicked away his sword.
"YOU SHALL NOT HARM HIM!"
"Oh you are a feisty one aren't you?" He reached up to her neck and gripped a section of it tightly. Starfire's eyes suddenly grew wide and she fell over completely unable to move. He stood over her and a dagger shot up form down his sleeve. Starfire gazed up him with fearful eyes as he was poised to strike.
"STOP!" Himora looked over his shoulder to see Robin darting straight for him staff in hand. Himora quickly reached inside his robe and threw a bladed disk at the incoming boy wonder. Robin gasped and dove to the ground sliding forward on his back. He skidded to a halt and was then pinned down by a series of kunai. Himora smirked as he held the remaining kunai between his fingers.
"It was foolish to believe you could defeat a master of the deadly arts." He put away his throwing weapons and walked over to his fallen sword. "But look on the bright side," he bent down and picked it up. "At least you went down fighting valiantly." He walked up to Starfire, deciding he should do his job first and then finish Robin. He raised his sword high into the air but never brought it down because a blue blast knocked it out of his hand and it stuck in the wall. He looked down the hall and saw Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy. With a frustrated growl and one last evil glare at Starfire he took off in the opposite direction. "TITANS AFTER HIM!" Robin shouted still pinned to the floor. As the other three Titans started off after Himora Robin began prying up each little knife holding him down. Himora skidded around a corner with the Titans in hot pursuit. He raced on through the common room and up the stairs to the roof. He burst through the door and ran up to the edge and stopped. Himora surveyed the long drop from the roof down to the shore line.
"Game up man." He turned around and saw Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy standing not far behind him. He faced them and smirked.
"The game does not end until one."
"Until one what," asked Beast Boy.
"Until one of us dies!" He through out some smoke bombs and they engulfed the three Titans. Raven said her famous words and cleared the smoke away like a leaf blower. When the cloudy veil had disappeared Himora was gone. Cyborg conducted a heat scan of the entire area while Raven and Beast Boy searched from the skies; he was nowhere near the tower anymore. They regrouped and shrugged their shoulders.
"Robin...I am unable to move," said Starfire. Her face seemed to be the only part of her that remained unaffected. Robin pulled the last kunai out of his cape and sat her up against the wall. He took her hand and rubbed it gingerly.
"Can you feel that?"
"I am sorry but I cannot." Her head rest limply to one side from her inability to keep it stable. "What has he done to me?" Robin looked her over for a moment. When he discovered the cause he sighed and hung his head.
"He stimulated a nerve ending right around here," he pointed to where Himora had gripped her shoulder. "It induces paralysis until it is undone. I think I can fix it but it will be painful." There was a note of anxiousness in her eyes but she smiled what she could.
"I am not afraid, I trust your judgment." Robin wasn't sure why but he felt unusually confident at hearing these words. He laid her back down and put a hand down on the shoulder in question.
"Are you ready?" For a moment Starfire didn't look it but let out a ready breath.
"I am." She closed her eyes as it was her only means of bracing herself.
"Ok on the count of three; 1….2…..3!" He took his hand away and instead pricked her lightly in the arm with a small needle from belt. Before she noticed the change of plans an uncontrollable wave of fatigue came over her and she fell asleep. Now that Robin had sedated her he felt a whole lot more relaxed about his task. He gripped her shoulder snuggly then quickly tightened his grip.
"Hey man you guys okay?" Cyborg and the others had just now gotten back down. Robin gathered up Starfire and carried her off to his room, leaving the other three Titans with a mixture of relief and confusion. Robin hit the panel for his room with his elbow and walked. He laid her down on his bed and made sure she was comfortable. As he left he looked back at her and thought about how she could do with a room of her own. With one last look at his sleeping guest he quietly backed out of the room and shut the door.
Robin made his way into the common room and set Himora's fallen sword down on the table. He then walked into the kitchen area for some utensils and the Raven bent over the weapon curiously.
"Is this it," she asked.
"Yup," he replied setting his tools next to it. Cyborg and Beast Boy had abandoned their game as curiosity won over them.
"What ya got there," asked Cyborg standing behind Raven.
"A katana, very sharp," he said applying a fine dust to the handle. "His thrusts were short and quick; he was an assassin."
"But why would Star have hit men after her," asked Beast Boy.
"As soon as we figure that we'll all sleep peacefully," deadpanned Raven. "What are doing," she added seeing Robin lightly removing the dust.
"I'm hoping there might be some fingerprints on here and maybe we'll be able to dig up something on this guy, whoever he is." He paused and set down his CSI tools. "I think tomorrow will be a good time to let Starfire have some fresh air, we'll take her to the mall or something," he said taking the sword over to a scanner. Raven lowered her hood and followed Robin to the scanner.
"Robin are you sure that's a good idea, I mean she's just survived an assassination attempt. We could be putting her in danger by letting her out in the open," said the pale Titan. Robin seemed to ignore for a second and cursed under his breath when the tests came up negative.
"I don't think we need to worry about that right now, he knows we know he's still out there; he'll wait before trying again. And he will try again." He held up Himora's sword. "We've got his weapon and he never misses." With that he sheathed the sword in a makeshift case and left the room.
EARLY THAT MORNING……………….
Starfire stirred awake in Robin's bed and turned on her side pulling the covers over her some more. It was at that moment when she realized something; she could move. She sat straight up and moved her arm up and down then wiggled her nose. She was able to do that while still suffering from paralysis but found it an amusing thing to do. She looked around the room in wonder. She had been given a complete tour of tower by Robin, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy; however she had never seen this room. She mentally went over each and every room in her tour and confirmed that she had never once set foot in this particular one. She had been in all the other Titans room (except Raven who only showed Starfire her door), therefore this had to be Robin's room. It was strange but Starfire felt an odd bit of comfort in his room. Since she had been there she had often tried to picture what it looked like; this recent surprise told her she was way off. She stepped off of the bed and heard a knock at the door.
"Enter," she said calmly. The door opened and in walked Cyborg.
"Morning, glad to see your okay." He set down a small breakfast platter. "We've decided that you need to see more of the great outdoors, so get cleaned up and get ready!" His ecstatic behavior confused her somewhat.
"Oh I see, and where in the great outdoors shall we be going?"
"Pizza and the mall," he answered plainly. She nodded and began munching on her breakfast. She thanked him warmly and nodded while leaving her be.
"Please where is Robin?"
"I think he's in the training room," replied Cyborg. "If you want I can get the tower computer to lead to him."
"Thank you but that will not be necessary, he is located on level three corridor four."
"Uhhhh, yeah." Cyborg gave her a confused look while she gobbled down the last remnants of her breakfast and began walking out of the room. She smiled warmly and thanked him again. He found it funny and cool that in a single tour Starfire had memorized the entire layout of the tower. She peered into the training room and saw Robin in a ready stance. Then she noticed the weapon he was holding was that of her attacker. He then began to move the blade as though he were submerged in water. Every cut, every swipe, and every swing was done with absolute fluidic grace. Starfire found herself having to look away every now then from fear of falling into an awe-struck trance. She then moved inside and Robin knew of her presence immediately.
"Starfire," he turned around quickly and held the sword behind his back. "I'm glad to see your up and moving." He tried to put together another sentence but got lost in he emerald eyes.
"Yes it would seem your remedy was most successful." She followed the blade behind his back down to the point. "I was not aware of you possessed a skill with such a weapon."
"Well the guy I used to be a sidekick for taught me how." He held the sword up in the light. "Neither of us were for the sword all that much, but it pays to have the know-how if and when the time comes."
"This man you speak of, he must have been very wise."
"Yes he was," said Robin. He sheathed the weapon and set it back on a stand on the wall.
"Friend Cyborg says we are to go to a place called the mall."
"Yeah, I'm sure you'll have a good time," said Robin. "We still haven't been able to figure out what's stored on that crystal, but we do know it's not of your people." He took it out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Raven has decided that this is the make of an entirely different race, does it mean anything to you?" Starfire turned it over in hand narrowed her eyes. A vision of someone running quickly down a dark hallway suddenly flashed in her mind. She looked up suddenly. "What?" Robin took her shoulders.
"I am sorry I do not know." Robin nodded and let her go. "Why can I not remember?"
"Well you seem to have an aliment called amnesia. It happens when someone experiences a traumatic event, they either question themselves so greatly they forget what happened or they are simply overwhelmed."
"You have a remedy for this amnesia, yes?" Robin hung his head somewhat.
"I'm sorry, but there isn't. The only thing we can do for you is to expose you to certain things that might trigger some memories." Starfire nodded and looked rather sad at the news. "But I think we can worry about that later." She looked back up at him. "I think right now we should just have some fun." She glanced over at the sword on the wall then nodded with a smile. He then led her out of the training room.
AT THE MALL……………..
Cyborg drove them all in the T-Car and within a solid ten minuets then reached the Jump City mall. To say that Starfire liked the mall was the king of all understatements. From the moment she set foot through the door she was absolutely unable to sit still for even a second. She was start running toward one store and then get sidetracked by some flashy store right next to it. They spent at least an hour and a half in the pet store alone, not to mention what it took to get Starfire out of the many clothing shops. Beast Boy and Cyborg introduced her to the happy world known as the arcade; in which she had an all out blast.
"GLORIOUS!" She shouted as she got the ball in the 10000 hole in skeet ball. "Robin did you see! I have been awarded an astronomical amount of points!" The beautiful alien was jumping up and down happily around the boy wonder.
"I saw it Star you did great," he said with equal happiness. He was glad to see she was forgetting her plight for just a moment and enjoying a simple bit of earthen fun. After another thirty minuets of arcade games and a little bit of air hockey they exited. They walked up to Raven who was sitting on a bench outside the arcade. She saw them and closed her book.
"So, did you have fun?"
"Oh yes friend Raven! The many flashing lights and bewildering noises were all very enjoyable. You do not like 'the arcade'?"
"It's not my kind of place and filled with not my kind of people," replied Raven in no particular tone. Robin set down a giant stuffed bear that he and Starfire had purchased with their combined winning tickets.
"Well, who's hungry?"
They walked into the food court and pushed two tables together for them all to sit down. Once they were situated they looked around at the many places to eat from. Starfire wondrously gazed around at a variety of fast food, Chinese cuisine, barbeque, Mexican food, and a few coffee shops. Unable to decide from the myriad of choices she turned to Robin.
"Tell me Robin, from which food outlet are you going to dine from?"
"That's easy; Cyborg and I are getting Bartley's Barbeque." Starfire then noticed Beast Boy turn more green than usual.
"Can't you have the decency to eat it later when I'm not around," asked Beast Boy sounding positively insulted. He turned his nose up at Robin and Cyborg and marched off to the Dunkin Donuts. Starfire leaned over and tapped Robin on the shoulder.
"Why is it Beast Boy refuses to ingest his necessary source of protein?"
"Well Star that's a good question that I'm sure we'll never really know the answer to. So most of the time we simply think its because he's just plain weird." He earned a light giggle from her then turned back to his source of food. "Okay I'm going to order myself a cheeseburger, maybe you could try some Lo Mien or something." She shook her head.
"It is okay, I am sure whatever you are purchasing will be most delightful," said Starfire eager to find out what a cheeseburger tasted like. Robin smiled and nodded before walking off to the small stand. Not long after Raven returned with a small cup in hand.
"Friend Raven you did not order any food?"
"I'm fine with some herbal tea"- she began looking around where she sat. "Grrrr, I left my book up at the register I'll be right back." The happy alien nodded and awaited each of her friends to return. As she sat waiting a small group of boys passed by. They each did a double take at the sight of her and decided to say hi. One sat down next to her and gave her a crooked smile. She gave him a nervous nod and noticed the many other boys encircling them.
"Hey there cutie, what's your name?" She swallowed not knowing if she should answer or not. "Name's Dil, I know everybody in this place…..except you."
"I am, sorry to disrupt your record," replied Starfire in a shaky voice.
"Ever been here before?" She shook her head. "Cause I make it my personal business to get to know everyone around here. I would especially like to get to know you." He set his hand down on her's and she pulled away quickly. "Now that aint anyway to treat someone, is it fellas," he asked his friends. They all shook their heads while looking at Starfire from head to toe. "Come on let's take a walk." She gripped her arm but she once again pulled away.
"I would like you to leave me alone now please," she looked around at each of the boys who had begun to close in around her. They began to take turns trying to get her to stand up and walk with them. "Please! Please go!" They would not. From over at the barbeque stand Robin had just applied some ketchup on both their burgers and began walking back.
"Yo man save my seat," called Cyborg.
"No prob," replied Robin while walking. He whistled a happy tune as he went but it died down when he saw Starfire struggling with the small gang. He handed the food off to a passing stranger and began fast walking up to his friend. Back at the table Starfire had almost had enough.
"I am asking you, please go away!"
"Aw what's the matter baby come on let's just go!" He grabbed her shoulder and she took hold of his wrist. As soon as she did something clicked on in Starfire's mind. She quickly stood up and flipped him over onto his back. Then fast as lighting she sent the other boys to the floor. One charged at her with a knife and she faced him with an angry look. As he came in she knocked his knife arm away and shoved him back with all her might. He flew thirty feet into the air and slammed up against the pillar at the other end of the food court. The Titans stood in complete shock and awe. Raven had stopped in mid-walk and dropped her book.
"Whoa," was all she could say. People rushed over to the boy across the court and shouted for someone to call a doctor. Starfire stared down at the fallen boys and her hands with as much shock as Robin and the others were staring at her with. One girl came over to the lead boy and helped him up.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine! JUST KEEP THAT…THAT FREAK AWAY FROM ME!" Hurt, as she had never known so far coursed through Starfire. Her eyes welled up with tears and she quickly ran out of the food court.
"STARFIRE COME BACK!" Robin yelled after then ran to catch up with her. Robin ran down the crowded mall to catch Starfire beofre she ran out into the street or somthing. It was strange, Robin was sure that for a second when she shoved that lastboy her eyes had looked bright green. He burst on through the exit and looked around the vast parking lot for anyone that even looked like her. He saw no one, Starfire had gone.
Let's hope Robin finds Starfire. I hope you like it so far, and thanks for reading it. I'll update as soon as I can. Laters!
