teeJudas Kisses
This is the sequel to 'In The Shadow Of The Serpent', and the third instalment of my Raven/Blackfire fics. All my disclaimers are in my first story 'Something In Common', but I'll outline the most salient points, namely that this takes place as an alternative third season, and that I'll be taking certain liberties with the Blackfire and Tamaran, re: origin stories, culture, etc.
Thank you for your indulgence.
Chapter One: Flights Of Fancy
"Come on, Raven, I'll race you!" Beast Boy said, before taking the form of a crow and flying up into the morning sky.
"I don't race," Raven said, drawing in her inner strength to lift herself off the roof.
"What's the matter, Raven? Afraid you'll lose?" Blackfire asked, hovering at the same height behind her. "I'll hug you if you get scared."
"I don't get scared either," Raven replied quickly. She knew her two friends were trying to help her, but sometimes, it got so…
So…
Awkward.
No, Raven, she told herself, stop thinking about that. Think about anything else but that. Think about how-
It had been a week after two bounty hunters named Legion and Shift plowed through the Tower in a hunt for Raven, a hunt quickly stopped by the combined forces of Blackfire, Beast Boy and Raven herself while the other Titans were investigating a false lead set by the hunters. In their rampage, the two hunters (especially Legion) had caused a great deal of damage, not just to the Tower, but to Raven, who had suffered an injury to her brain that had caused her to fall into a coma.
Thankfully, her own healing powers were left mostly untouched by the injury, and now, four days after she had woken up, she was undergoing a strict regimen of physical therapy to ensure that her mental-based powers were in shape.
The entrance to the roof opened, and Cyborg emerged. "You guys okay up here?" he asked.
"We would be if this raven stopped being so chicken," Blackfire teased. Beast Boy didn't make it any better when he landed as a chicken, clucking and crowing.
"Beast Boy," Raven said, "You know all about animals, don't you?"
"Yeah?"
"Then why are you a hen?"
Beast Boy looked down at himself. "Whoops, I hadn't noticed," he said.
Blackfire smiled. "Are you sure Raven's the one who got hit on the head?"
"Ha, ha, Blackfire, very funny, you should be on Comedy Club," Beast Boy said, although he was smiling as well.
"Jealous?"
Raven looked upon her two friends bemusedly. Just a week ago, they were willing to tear each other's throat out, and now…
"I can see you're getting along fine," Cyborg said, the same thoughts apparently running through his head. "Robin asked me to come up here and check on y'all, but I think he just wanted to be alone with Starfire."
"Ooh! I hope you have a recording device around there somewhere!" Blackfire asked salaciously.
Cyborg laughed. "I wish!" he said. "Well, I've got to be going back down. Half the Tower's still falling apart, and I better keep an eye on Robin and Starfire," he finished, before heading back down.
Blackfire turned back to Raven. "So, Raven, are you going to fly, or are you going to…" She held up Beast Boy, who obligingly let out another "Cluck-cluck-cluck-B-KAWK!"
Raven sighed, and once again, drew in her inner strength.
…Azerath…
…Metrion…
…Xinthos!
(scene change)
Lord Inveldre't walked quickly through the streets of the Tameranian capital, to his brother's palace. He did not run, or fly, for someone of his station doing so here would indicate desperation and invite suspicion, while merely walking fast indicated purpose, or at least hurry, and at the worst people would suspect of him was his of being late for a social occasion.
But if he could have ran or flew, he would.
"You told me it was urgent," Duke Dezikre't said when his brother arrived at his mansion. Unlike Inveldre't, who was thin, and somewhat unkempt for s Tameranian Lord, Duke Dezikre't was large and well fed, dressed in the most refined (and expensive) of Galactic fashion. He had been waiting outside the gates; this matter was much to delicate, much too dangerous to discuss openly over electronic communication lines.
Or, for that matter, in public. "Quick, brother, we must get inside," Inveldre't said. "To a room where you can be sure no-one would hear us," he continued. "You have one, don't you?"
"Of course I do, do you mistake me for a fool?" his brother asked harshly. He then led his brother through a series of concealed doors and passages under his home until they finally ended up in a room that was almost empty save a table and four chairs. Unlike Inveldre't, who was thin, and somewhat unkempt for s Tameranian Lord, Duke Dezikre't was large and well fed, dressed in the most refined (and expensive) of Galactic fashion.
"You said it was a matter of great importance, brother mine, and since you of all people know what I do to people who waste my time, it had better be."
"Of course, my brother," Inveldre't said, the terror in his voice plain. Yes, he knew. He knew full well why he and his brother were the only surviving members of their family, knew that if it weren't for his contacts in the Tameranian underworld, he himself would be dead, knew that the only reason he had the titles and perks that came with them was because his brother saw him as a useful servant.
He also knew that once he stopped proving himself useful, his brother would do away with him, as he did with potential opposition to his ambition. Like he did with their parents and sisters. He summoned up his courage, and told his brother what he had found out.
A few minutes later, he cowered in the corner of the room as his brothers eyes flashed their bright reddish-orange. "HOW DARE SHE! HOW DARE SHE!"
"S-she
probably wants to help, bro- my Lord," Inveldre't said.
"Help? HELP! How does her going to Blackfire's side help? Do you know what could happen to me? Happen to us? All our best laid plans would be for NAUGHT if she- AAARGH!" he screamed, launching another volley of firebolts into the specially reinforced walls while his brother whimpered in the corner.
"How close is she to Blackfire?" Dezikre't asked, quietly. If anything, Inveldre't was a lot more terrified now. He had seen his brother like this just once before, when as a little child, he accidentally witnessed his older brother poison the drinks their parents customarily had before they slept. When his brother threatened him into silence then, his voice was like it was now.
"Well, back then, she was-"
"I don't mean that, you fool," he said, in that same quiet voice, "I meant in terms of distance, how close is she to Blackfire? Close enough that my fastest ships may catch up with her before they reach Earth's sensor range?"
"What?"
"I do not want Earth to become involved in this, at least not now. Their ties to the damned Green Lantern Corps and Centauri barbarians are too strong for me to risk it. Thus I ask you again, can I catch up to her without Earth noticing?"
"I-I-I-"
"Let me guess, I can't."
Inveldre't gestured an affirmation. It was all he could do.
Dezikre't was silent for what seemed an eternity to his brother. Then, "It appears that for once, the situation is out of my control. We will watch and wait, and hope that the heir of Meand'r and Fortune conspire to protect us."
(scene change)
She adjusted the controls of her craft as she passed Jupiter, to compensate for the immense gravitational pull, but she was finding it hard to concentrate. She had been around the known galaxy a few times, seen her fair share of star systems and thought herself a seasoned traveller, but as always, there was something to throw you off track.
Take Sol for instance. She had seen many ringed worlds, many large planets, but a system with both? Amazing! And the rings! All of the other known ringed planets has small, thin circlets, barely a bunch of pebbles orbiting a small world. To see a ringed planet so huge, with such a magnificent series of rings was truly a sight to behold.
No wonder Blackfire had chosen this system of all others to stay; she always had a taste for beauty. Oh sure, she might have told herself that the reason she came here was to gain vengeance on her little sister, but the pilot knew Blackfire a great deal better than that. Starfire might have been why she came, but Sol made her stay.
Her mind drifted back to the girl she once knew all those years ago, and memories flooded back into the pilot's mind.
She had to meet Blackfire. She needed to see her.
Pyurit'i gunned the engine.
