Chapter 6. Blackness Falls

Robin awoke to a stank. Speedy was drinking a healthy protein drink, but it smelled deadly. Speedy laid on his bed, watching the news on the television in front of the room. Jason was gone. Robin moaned and watched the television. It was down town late at night a bit, from last night.

The woman with big blonde hair and flat red dress spoke, "It's been days now that our mysterious fighter has come our way. Whenever there is a siren, he or she comes around the corner with blazing green blasts. But only last night this person came to save away. For that in the afternoon, a brave young man with jet black hair saved the innocence from the cinderblock monster."

Speedy looked up over his bunk and saw that Robin was awake, "You did that?"

"Yep." He couldn't take his eyes off the screen.

The woman took a breath, "But we did catch this someone around the corner watching the fight of the young lad. So far we do not know what this is, even by its beautiful eyes, we can not tell who, or what it is. So far police and government agents are trying to track it, but for now, we are guessing it is someone from another country, so far we will think of it as an alien."

The woman on the screen was asking people what they thought about this, "alien", "Sir, could you tell me about our alien?"

"I think it's up to no good. We can't just trust someone or something with odd magic or destructive powers. It could turn against us or plot its own threat once the alien gets rid of the other monsters."

You're wrong… Robin thought.

"And miss, what do you think of this structure?"

"I am glad that we have someone here to help us, our city has always had wrong people and bad situations. I am very thankful, but I can not wait to see behind those green eyes that it really is. I am not worried at all. As for the boy wonder around here, this was a big shock to me. One hero then another, our city is becoming more safe thanks to those who do care." Speedy turned off the television.

"Well, I am heading down for breakfast, come on!" Speedy walked out.

Robin called out, "Let me change first! I'll meet you there!"

Robin whipped off his hoodie and shirt. H pulled on a white shirt with dark blue jeans.

Robin ran through the cafeteria doors. Same amount of people, same groups at same tables. Robin saw Fangs table, but didn't see Star there. Robin saw Speedy at the end of the line, he ran for him to be the last. But a girl stepped in front quickly in a speed of light.

"Hey?" Robin shouted a bit, "I wanted to be by my frien-"Robin lowered his voice to see Star turn around and look at him. She smiled as he felt glum.

"Sorry Star." He pulled on the collar of his shirt.

"It is alright friend Robin. But if you really wish to stand by your friend, you can-"

"NO, it is alright…" He put a hand behind his head embarrassed.

She smiled, "So, I am hopeful you had a nice night, for your first night here? Getting along with your roommates of course."

"Yes… and no…"

"What?"

"I mean yeah! The bed was totally comfortable. But my favorite part of my room besides my roommates is probably the balcony."

"Oh…. I go there at my favorite time of the day, when the sky has turned into a mixture of fascinating colors. And when the stars are dimly shinning."

"Dusk, that's my favorite time of day too."

"Yes… I saw you on the news this morning."

"Oh, that was-"

"I thought it was amazing on how you were fighting that monster. I believe you have quite the arm."

Robin laughed as he very lightly punched her in the shoulder, "And you look like you have got a good head on your shoulders."

She giggled innocently and did the same but a bit harder.

Robin grabbed one piece of toast, he watched Star walk off to her table after she paid. He heard Fang laugh, "The plan is set." Star looked at him in confusion.

Robin sat down next to Speedy, "Where's X?"

Speedy pointed. X was down at Kitten's table speaking with a girl who had cotton candy colored hair that was in the shape of bull horns. She did not look impressed at all.

"Ow!" Jason screamed and hopped back to the table. "She wasn't interested…." Robin saw a red hand mark on the side of his face, and his shin was swollen a bit. "Besides, she said that she's going to a new school, Hive or something like that."

X stood up and walked back to Fangs table to sit next to Star, he shoved Kitten over closer to fang so he could sit between both girls. But Fang smirked towards Robin's table. Fang walked out of the cafeteria.

"He's quite the flirt, sometimes social, but he doesn't really like to be seen much with other people outside." Speedy ate an egg.

There was a marble stage with a giant red curtain by Robin's table in the cafeteria.

"Is everything marble?" Robin asked.

"Well, Head Master wants a fancy and rich school. The art, the marble, the building, there's even gold riming on the bottom of the curtain. Besides most of the boy's dorm rooms, everything else is spotless, not even a speck of dust… Can you believe that somewhere in this school, there's a huge training room! Or a detention room. Heard rumors from the "bigger" students. Like Mammoth, Fang, Billy, Gizmo, well besides that he's not huge, but other people too."

The curtains started to lift as it caught everyone's attention. A tall man stood with one light on him, but it was hard to tell what he was wearing from the shadowing of his strength, "Good morning children… I heard we have a new student here, at our fabulous boarding school… He is a brave young lad, so it is an honor to welcome him to the WHOLE school with his bravery. I am sure we have also all heard that he has defeated a certain monster trying to havoc our beautiful city, so now let us honor him with pride. Robin, get up here…"

Robin was embarrassed and not happy at all, "I'm fine down… HERE?"

Wildebeest picked him up on his shoulder, climbed up on the stage and put him right by the head.

"Hello dear boy, my name is Mr. Slade." He hissed under his mask. "Will you say something to our school on your coming congrats?"

Robin looked over the hundreds of teens, speechless. Speedy heard a chuckle and looked up into the stage. He saw a shadow, but couldn't tell what it was.

"Welcome to firefly boy wonder!" Everyone looked up except Slade and Robin. They thought someone said it from the crowd.

Nervously Robin was about to speak the "Thank You?" But heard a laugh above. He didn't even look up. Slade walked a few feet leaving the stage, but looked back at Robin. The shadow above had a huge pail of black paint. He took the bucket over the rail and turned it upside down, toppling paint all over Robin. The school gasped, Star was the first to stand high from her table. This caught Robin's eye. His mask only protected the skin around his eyes from the dark. Robin looked at Star; they stared at each other for a moment. The only color she could see of him was the white in his masked eyes.

No… Star thought.

Robin bowed his head and walked off the stage slowly. He stopped by Fangs table and looked at Star. Then he ran out the door. Slade glared, and then looked up top again. The teenage boy up there was rolling around laughing. Slade climbed the ladder on the side to find Fang laughing.

"Fang, Fang, Fang… My dear boy… The best on the football team…" Slade shook his head. "I am sorry but…" He leaned in closer to Fang, "What a brilliant job you have done… That will knock some sense and toughness into the boy…."

Fang got up with Slade as the curtain fell and they left the stage. "But you're going to have to clean all the paint…"

Star ran off from the table and ran after Robin's foot steps. She ran up to the boy's dorm. She stopped at the door 305. She could hear silence, but found the door unlocked. Star walked in. There was a dresser next to the door with a TV on it. There was an open envelope covered with black finger prints, a letter laid by it. Star knew it was wrong, but she picked it up and read…

Dear Robin,

I am afraid there is some bad news… After the crash Cyborg still lies in the hospital, still not cured. But… Thankfully, they managed a way for him to live. They have added armor and metal to his skin to save his blood and organs. Beast Boy and I now wait for him by his side as I write this. I believe it's great that you've made some friends, just don't get too attached. But right now is not a time to be laughing up. Write Back,

Raven.

The silence broke as Star heard a shower turn on; she set the letter down and made her way across the roommates stuff to the door that was the bathroom. It was open too. She gulped as she walked in.

The bathroom was small, with a stand up shower, no bathtub connected. A rail was across its door with dark purple cotton towels. The shower had only one slide door, and the other half of the shower was blocked by a wall. There was a light in it but was not on making it dark. She shut the door quietly like a cat behind her and locked it.

Star's fingers shook as she grabbed the rail. She started to pull it open. Half way open, but it was still very dark inside, especially since the rest of the glass shower was surrounded by three and a half walls. Star managed to walk in. It was dark like a closet, but she could see Robin sitting in the corner, still in his clothes, but still covered in black paint. His arms rested crossed over his knees, his head bent down in them, getting wet. Dew running down his hair. Star now stepped completely in. The water was ice cold running down her spine, her heart jumped a bit from it, but she kept her gasp in. She stepped five steps to Robin closer. She bent down onto her knees, resting her behind on her heels. Her clothes were now drenched as Robin's.

"Robin?" She whispered.

He didn't move.

"May I help?" She whispered again.

Robin finally looked up at her, still stained. Robin stretched his legs out and just sat there leaning on the wall, "Did you know?"

"No, Robin… It was all Fang, it was his revenge…"

He just starred at the wall.

Star reached up for a soap that she could find, and a sponge. She rubbed the soap in her palm for suds. Then she rubbed the sponge. She took the sponge to the end of his pants by his foot, she started to scrub hard, and the paints blackness spread off and swirled dramatically down the drain. Robin looked over at her eyes, how they were fixed on the suds and on his pants. He sighed very quietly. A little bubble spud flew up into her eye. She took the top part of her hand that held the sponge and wiped her eye a bit. A tiny bit of mascara had spread.

For Star to scrub the other parts of Robin's pants, he took them off, leaving him sitting in his boxers and shirt. Star was soon done with his pants, as he slipped them back on. He took off his shirt as she now scrubbed it. When she was done he pulled it back on.

Star grabbed the soap as she set the sponge down. She rubbed her hands together on the soap. She was about to wash his arms, but Robin grabbed her hands. He led them to his face. Star rubbed his face with her two delicate hands. Robin let go as she cleaned his face. Her palms cupped his cheeks; she rubbed her thumbs on the rims of Robin's mask. She smoothly and slowly let her hands explore his face, but not under or on his mask.

The black faded off. She reached over for some shampoo, she lathered his hair then rinsed. She washed away everything nicely, leaving her with black smudges and some parts of the walls black. Star smiled at him.

"I could see it in your eyes Star, you're not like that. You don't seem like someone who hurts people…I could never be angry at you…" He sighed. "Thank you."

Star smiled with black bags under her eyes, she was tired. Black smeared under her eyes, just a bit. She never wore any makeup much. Her pink blouse now covered and stained in the dark, it hung a bit drenched. Her blue jean skirt all rugged, it had little white strings hanging off the ends. But it made Star still pretty. She leaned on the wall across Robin with more black. She smiled at him as she crossed her legs over his, she passed out.