moezy-chan: I'm really gald you like it so far.
shemka okay4: I understand perfectly, i'm really lazy myself. happy your happy with the story
robin and star fan: Have no fear, ROBIN IS HERE! LoL! Glad your liking it.
Jeanniestorm: No kidding, but read thischapter.I think you like it
Thanks for all of your reviews, and now on with the chapter!
Chapter Four
The Beginning
"STARFIRE COME BACK!" Robin yelled after then ran to catch up with her. 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's had gone. Robin's gaze darted around each of the parked cats and empty spaces; she really was gone. Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy quickly caught up with the boy wonder. They took a moment to scan the area just as he had done then focused on Robin.
"You didn't happen to see which way she went did you?" Cyborg asked a quiet Robin.
"What happened," asked Raven. Robin let out a long sigh.
"I think some of it is starting to come back," he said turning his head slightly. He thought for a moment then faced his fellow Titans. "Alright Starfire's from another planet and without her memory so we need to find her before something happens to her."
"But the city is huge! It's going to take us forever to find her," exclaimed Beast Boy.
"I don't care how long or to what lengths we need to go to, but we have to find her. The only places she knows from experience are here," he pointed to the mall, "And Titans Tower. Cyborg you take down town and the north end, Beast Boy take the skies, I'll search the southern and eastern sections, and Raven get back to the tower and see if she's there. If not then I need you to try a city wide scan." Raven raised an eyebrow at his order.
"A telepathic sweep of the entire city?"
"I know it's tiring and time consuming, but we need to find her as quickly as possible. Please just make it so." Raven looked around for a moment then nodded her head. "Aright then, let's go!" They each broke off and went about finding Starfire.
ELSEWHERE……………..
A vase flew up against the wall and shattered into a million pieces. Himora paced back and forth in his apartment trying to vent his anger in the most inconspicuous way possible. He looked up at his wall, were there hung 8X11 photos of the Titans and Starfire. He smoothly removed a kunai from his waist cord and threw the small knife right between Robin's eyes. Starfire was still his primary assignment, but to him Robin was no longer simply a target of opportunity. Robin was responsible for keeping Himora from completing his objective on the first attempt; which, needless to say, pissed him off a great deal. He walked over and quickly pulled the kunai out of the photo. As he did a small screen on his desk started beeping. He closed his eyes in dread and stiffly turned around. He walked up to the screen and hesitated before answering the call. A darkened image of a pair of red eyes behind a curtain of blackness appeared.
"Mr. Himora, what grievous circumstances we contact you," his voice was quiet and piercing.
"Perhaps I have completed my objective and perhaps I have not, who are you to judge me so?"
"Don't flatter yourself Mr. Himora, this council is well aware of you apparent failure. Do not insult us by presuming you can hide!" Himora pursed his lips together. "We beg you to enlighten us as to why the target was not acquired or eliminated." Himora thought for a moment trying to come up with a good sounding excuse.
"I was interrupted by her new companions. I underestimated their power but I assure you it will not happen again."
"By underestimated you mean to say you allowed the boy to bring your flawless record to an abrupt and pathetic end."
"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS!" Himora slammed his fist down on the table.
"Keep you voice down human. You are not to embark on vendettas of any sort whilst you remain our employee." Himora stepped closer to the screen.
""You're a couple hundred light years away, just what are you going to do about it?"
"Ask and ye shall be answered," returned the sinister alien. He narrowed his eyes; the moment he did Himora gripped the sides of his head and fell to the floor letting out painful gasps. The council member relaxed and Himora felt the pain leave him. Using the desk for support Himora hoisted himself back to his feet and stood before the screen. "Our reach is immeasurable; we have never once before lost an experiment and we do not intend to allow her to be the first. Consider the precious gift of life as your payment from this day forward."
"You can't do that to me! I still intend to crush each and every one of them with my bare hands!"
"You exaggerate."
"The point is I deserve to be rewarded for catering to your needs."
"No, the point is you are a fool who does not see the bigger picture. You no longer have the luxury of receiving pay. You belong to us now."
"I BELONG TO NOBODY!" The council member slowly nodded.
"Perhaps I misjudged you. Proceed then, on your way to oblivion." He let loose a powerful attack on Himora once again, causing the assassin to fall to the floor in agony. He winced and twitched from the many parts of his body that felt like fire.
"NOOOO! NO! I ACCEPT YOUR TERMS! I ACCEPT! PLEASE STOP!" His cries died down as he was released. The member sat back in his chair and unknowingly smiled.
"Wise decision."
AT THE TOWER…………………….
Raven checked Robin's room before electing to use the computer outlet on the wall. She pressed a series of buttons and cleared her throat. "Locate Starfire." It processed the request for a moment before responding.
"Starfire is not in Titans Tower." The computer replied in a tone similar to Raven's. Raven nodded and walked into the common room. She contacted Robin and his face appeared on the large screen.
"Report."
"She's not in the tower," said Raven.
"Alright thanks, I'm going to give Cyborg and Beast Boy a ring here in a minuet. Meanwhile I need you to conduct the sweep." Raven gave him a short nod and the screen went black. Raven levitated in the middle of room with her legs crossed and her cape draped around her. She remained in deep thought for a moment before slowly chanting.
"Azerath-Metrion-Zinnnnthos." She then began to literally see numerous parts of the city in passing flashes. She saw people walking along the sidewalk, cars zooming down the highway, children crying at their mothers to buy them some toy they can't have. She passed over city block after city block and skyscraper after skyscraper. After about two hours small beads of sweat began running down from the top of Raven's head. She began to pant lightly every now and then. She had even began to loose focus once from the amount of exhaustion. Finally after two and half hours her vision passed by a crying red haired girl. The face was obscure but there was still now mistaking her. Raven's eyes open and she stared ahead for a moment. Finally she let her feet touch the floor and she called back Robin.
"Robin, I found Starfire; she's walking along the outskirts and may leave the city if we don't hurry."
"Thanks Raven I get to her as soon as I can. Get a hold of Cyborg and Beast Boy and tell them where we are." Robin gave out his orders and Raven replied in the affirmative. Robin hung up his comm. link and continued on down the road on the R-Cycle.
A few blocks away Starfire slowly walked by herself in the cold wind, she rubbed her arms as it soon began to drizzle. Starfire looked up at the sky wondering how her day could get any worse. For a moment it seemed as if she were finally blending in as one of residents of Earth. Then in the blink of an eye the idea was washed away completely. The more she thought about it the more she agreed with the boy whom she had sent to the ground; she was a freak. How else was she able to defeat each and every one of those boys, and why did she not know of such strength earlier. She walked by an alley and passed by someone leaning against the wall. She stopped abruptly and turned to see Robin behind her.
"Robin! I-I uh, what are you doing here," she stampered.
"Starfire you should not have just taken off like that," said Robin a little sternly. Starfire hung her head and sniffled.
"I did not wish to endanger anyone else, that boy was right."
"No, that boy was a jerk! And what he said couldn't have been farther from the truth." She picked up her head. "While we were looking for you we heard people talking; they were saying things like 'well it's about time someone made that kid taste some asphalt.' Or 'I wish we had more people like her in this city I'd come out of my house more often.' Starfire you don't have to be afraid all the time."
"But I do not even know who I am!'
"I know that must be frightening. I can't begin to imagine what that must be like, but you can trust us." She shook her head and stepped closer to him.
"I wish I had your confidence Robin."
"Well I have my own faults to, nobody's perfect."
"But you are not afraid of anything, I have seen you and the others in battle." Robin sat down on a ledge and she sat next to him.
"I was afraid today."
"Of what?"
"I was afraid something might happen to you." Starfire felt herself feel slightly warmer. "Well! I mean me and Cyborg, and Beast Boy and Raven; we were all worried about you," he said rubbing the back of his neck. "Please Star will you come back with us?"
"Of course I will, thank you Robin." She leaned over and hugged him. Robin's mouth hung ajar slightly not sure if he were still talking or in a dream state. She broke away and stared him straight in the eyes. If Robin hadn't known better he would have thought she were trying to sedate him with those shining green orbs. "Robin?" He blinked several times and looked around. Starfire was giving him a worried look. "Robin are you okay?"
"Uhh yeah, yeah I 'm fine Star thanks." She smiled and nodded happily. He motioned over to his bike. "Come on, let's get back." He handed her an extra helmet and she climbed onto the seat behind Robin. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a ready nod when he looked back. He revved up the engine and took off back to the tower.
IN THE COMMON ROOM………………
Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy sat waiting in the common room. The other two Titans had arrived nearly two hours ago and were beginning to think maybe they should search for both of them now. "Alright that's it! I'm going," said Cyborg. He stood up and when he reached the door it slid open to reveal Robin and Starfire.
"Hey guys," said Robin waving his hands.
"Hello friends," greeted Starfire.
"Hey dudes! Glad to see your back, what kept ya," exclaimed Beast Boy. Robin and Starfire looked at each other for a moment.
"Just had a little talk time," said Robin. Cyborg gave Robin an 'Uh huh' look but press the matter any further. They gathered on the couch and sat back for a while.
"I am sorry for causing discomfort friends," apologized Starfire. "It will not happen again."
"You don't need to apologize Star," said Cyborg patting her on the back. 'Though I would like to know how you beat those guys senseless. Man that was so cool!"
"Dido, the first part anyway," said Raven. She typed up something at the large screen and displayed a play back of the scene at the mall. "If we take a look at some of the mall's surveillance footage, I think we might be able to put a nail on what happened.
"Dude they pissed her off is what happened, then she let em' have it." Raven shot Beast Boy a irritated glare shrugged it of.
"Just play it Raven," said Robin. She did and they re-witnessed Starfire's victory in the food court. Starfire heard the boy's remark over and over again and finally asked Robin to turn it off. He gave Raven a hand signal and she physically switched off the screen.
"Okay they were getting on her nerves and you say when he grabbed you and your grabbed him your suddenly remembered something," Raven asked Starfire.
"Well it was as if something resurfaced, I could not stop myself until the deed was done." Raven nodded.
"Then I believe you have what is called 'dissociative amnesia', you subconsciously know how to do things and they emerge in times of need, heightened emotion, or stress. Which means you may have abilities that could far out way some of our own." Starfire sat with innocent wide eyes and stared down at her hands.
LATER THAT EVENING……………………..
Robin led Starfire into a darkened room. She had her hands in front of her eyes and allowed Robin to direct her. "May I look now?" Robin chuckled lightly and nodded his head.
"Yeah Star, go ahead." She pulled her hands away and gasped when she saw the sight before her. She was in a fully furnished room with soft carpeting and an even softer round pink bed. She walked around the room in shock and awe.
"Robin? Is this intended for me?" He nodded. She squealed and hugged him tightly. "THANK YOU ROBIN!" She broke off wearing a huge smile.
"You should really thank Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy; they're the one's who built it. I asked them to put it together when they got back to the tower. We all decided you spent enough time in sickbay."
"Yes I will surely thank them, oh this is a most glorious gift!" She jumped up and landed on her bed. She snuggled up with the pillow and let out a content sigh.
"So you like it?" She turned onto her back and smiled up at him.
"I think it is wonderful." He thought for a moment.
"Listen uh we have combat practice tomorrow and maybe if your feeling up to it, I thought you could join us." She sat up. "You know we're still not sure what your fully capable of and………we're as interested as you are." She remained silent for a moment. "Never mind it was a dumb thing to ask, I'm glad you like your room." He began walking out of the room.
"Robin." He stopped and turned his head. "I have been considering that very thing, only on different grounds." He turned back around a little more confused. "I wish to learn from you, to fight as you do. If I am ever to be ready to face whatever is pursuing me, then I shall have to learn your skills." Robin mouth hung ajar for a moment.
"Starfire you have skills and abilities, I don't think you need me to teach what you might already know."
"I must rely on weapons that can be utilized in the moment, not when they wish to re-emerge from my mind." Robin looked her in the eyes and knew she was serious. Very well if she were bent on it, then he would have to just as serious. He straightened up and held his hands behind his back.
"Alright I'll teach you, but there is something you must understand first." Starfire nodded. "Don't take this personally, it is just the way I was taught by my teacher." He cleared his throat. "Once we begin there is no going back, no quitting; the teacher and the student will have their places and they will respect each other." He didn't really have to worry about respect at all, since both already respected the other a great deal. Starfire let out a short sigh and bowed her head to him. He two of his fingers to her chin and raised it back up. "But you bow to no one." She looked immensely happier at his new smile. She went over each of the rules he put forth and gave him a willing look. "Very well, then are you ready to begin?"
Hope you like it so far, cause I'm sure having fun writing it. Thanks for reading so far. Laters!
