BlueEyedDragonGirl: I am pleased you've enjoyed this story so far and thank you for acknowledging the simple but influetial moments between the Titans. ) I enjoy your reviews and detailed comments, and of course--thanks so much for reading! As do all of you fine and well-appreciated peope! ) Points to everyone else ;;
Author's Notice: Everyone, forgive me for lacking in reviews for the past two days, and as a token of my apology...two consecutive chapters for everyone!
Chapter Eight: Words Never To Be Said
The Titans all froze in their tracks to see their missing teammate in a costume relevant to The Ring Master's; the Tamaranean wore a mime body shirt mascot with black and white stripes. Her left sleeve dismembered, revealing her entire orange tinted arm, with the same finger tip-revealing gloves, her eyes were rimmed with the same black tear make-up along with the same dangerous curve at her cheekbone. Her lips were painted a bloody red, wearing figure-forming black tights with connecting black boots.
Robin felt his heart stop for one second, he felt his voice box was out of order and in no condition to be repaired in such a late notice, but in miracle, he had managed to blurt.
''WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?''
''Why nothing, I would never even dream of touching one hair on her precious head, you see Titans, my assistant is bonded with my own power, in her skin... and in her blood we are part of each other. We are one'' he purred with an evil snicker
Robin raised on his feet, not even in his most ironic and wildest dreams could he ever picture the one he cared for the most turned against him with her teeth gritted and a cold and heartless glare. The light in her eyes was vanished, drained, and replaced with the emptiness only The Ring Master could possibly pull off.
''S-Starfire, it's me, Robin, remember?''
Starfire just kept her harsh eye contact with him, torturing him with her deathly silence, then, a blinding starbolt had ignited in her hand as she had aimed it directly at the Boy Wonder's face.
She fired her starbolt, and at the last moment, Robin had barely escaped the energy blast getting away with a mere scar on his ankle.
''Starfire! STOP! Why are you attacking me? You're acting like I'M the criminal!'' he pleaded
''In her eyes, she sees you as a fate worse than death'' The Ring Master hissed as he came from behind the shadows and stood beside the transformed alien
''LIAR! STARFIRE NEVER WOULD THINK THAT!'' Robin denied
''Perhaps ''Starfire'' wouldn't, but THE RING MISTRESS most certainly does... you see, Robin, now that SHE is bonded with ME: we think alike, we fight alike and we ARE alike'' the twisted circus performer lectured
''NEVER! I WILL NEVER BELIEVE IT! You may have brainwashed her, but her memories are still in her, and she will remember she is a Titan, NOT a ruthless coldhearted CRIMINAL'' The boy wonder shot
''The only thing my assistant remembers is that: she is a Ring Mistress, she is a vileness, she DESPISES anything and everything that has any relevance to the Teen Titans and above all...she is MY only LOVE!'' He finished with thunder emerging from his deep voice
Robin almost felt the muscles in his legs give away, his mind couldn't process the message fast enough to understand it completely before all of a sudden, a rage of Tamaranean power was being blown everywhere. The other four Titans were forced to fight, but the Boy Wonder---still in paranoia and denial---was stiffened from his waist down. He had lost his power to move, he refused it, he vowed to himself if he ever touched his beloved Starfire it would be the last thing he would ever do, and he was determined to keep that promise. For her.
The Ring Master had summoned his hand gestures and was creating an army of his hand-created henchmen, and the very second the circus soldiers' were unleashed they fought directly at any Titan nearest it's path.
An estimated amount of eight miniature soldiers' minimum was battling each Titan, the Azarathian had flashed telekinetic block after block, maintaining to avoid any to cross her way. But from surprise, five little henchmen had jumped up and piled from behind her; Raven's eyes then highlighted white as she initiated her telekinetic emerge. And while that had destroyed some of the little crawlers, many more were awaiting their turn to fight.
Terra shot a bullet train of racing granite from either side of the old circus station and crushed a handful of the little warriors to dust between their ends. Then she felt them clutch tightly on her ankles, she flipped on her hands and flung them off her ankles as she fell back on her feet. When she saw more charging, she levitated herself on the large boulder hidden beneath her feet and flew into the air, heading straight for the wall. It was there when she realized the little critters could jump incredibly high, Terra back flipped again off her boulder and---while falling mid-air---she flung her arms in the soldier's direction and knocked them away and catching herself with the supporting of another chunk of rock.
But just then, the boulder that was supporting Terra had crumbled beneath her feet and broke apart; she lost her balance and fell with no time to reach for another rock. Falling face-first into the ground, the Changeling ran to her aid.
''Terra, you alright?'' he questioned with concern
''Yeah, I'm all---"She suddenly let out a spontaneous gasp "--LOOK OUT!''
Beast Boy had less than a second to turn his head behind him when Terra had pushed him harshly out of his position, and even less to see that a green starbolt had flashed and dangerously attacked Terra in her rib cage. Beast Boy gasped as he turned his head again to see Starfire with her hand smoking from her firing.
''I AM TRULY SORRY ABOUT THIS, STAR, BUT I--ARGHAAAAAAAH!''
He was fired in his face by a pair of angry beams from the Tamaranean's eyes.
''Apology accepted, fool'' she laughed a menacingly laugh that did not suit her at all
Just then, she felt her wrists were being restrained from someone's mechanical hands from behind her.
''Starfire! NO MORE! WE DON'T WANNA FIGHT YOU!'' Cried Cyborg
Her lifeless jades re-highlighted green as she swung the android over her head and crashed him hard into the cement floor, breaking his entire body system constructed in the former location of his removed spine.
"By the time I'm through with you all, you won't be able to" She snickered to his helpless body
A blue-coated foot swung from behind the alien, she saw it immediately and caught it was a firm grasp, and with her supernatural strength she flung the Azarathian hard into the wall in front of her.
''Starfire, please, I'm you're FRIEND!'' Raven shouted as she stood once more brushing the dust from her cloak
"For future reference, learn the difference between past and present tenses" She hissed coldly
At that second, she did a brutal combination of hand/eye starbolt beam and fired it as it crushed Raven even worse with the wall behind her feeble back.
Despite their ruthless attacks, some Titans still managed to get on their feet, Starfire's hands immediately rebounded with starbolts. The Ring Master held out his glowing blue hand to her, motioning for her to stop.
''I shall occupy them, you must defeat that Robin'' He ordered
She turned around to face him, her bloody red lips curved into an uncharacteristic devilish grin.
''With pleasure'' She responded devilishly
She turned to the Boy Wonder who was on his knees on the floor holding his throbbing head, restraining himself not to cry. She felt no pity for him; the evil possessed in her heart had no room for such a faint-headed emotion.
''Hello Robin'' she grinned horribly
Robin turned to face her his eyes still throbbing holding and choking back flooding tears, he raised on his feet. Cautiously stepping closer to her, hand extended trying to touch her shoulder, hoping there was still hope to revive her conscience.
''Starfire I--''
But that was all he could say before he was kicked harshly in his stomach as he was sent flying across the room and fell wickedly hard.
But he still was determined to make her stop and not to fight as he once again stood up.
''Please, listen--''
He was bolted with her burning energy in his chest, once again speeding backward and landing hard on his spine. He held in his moans and groans of protest and pain, but couldn't get up again, and then he saw Starfire hovering above him.
''You are a worthless opponent, I had expected a little more of fun, get up and FIGHT ME!'' She barked
''I don't want to, Starfire, listen to yourself; I don't know what happened to you, but I know deep down you still have some good in you I have faith in that, and I know deep down you don't want to fight me either. You have to break through The Ring Master's grasp before he turns you into the hench-wench you never chose to be! Please, before he destroys everything you've ever held dear, and you along with it all!'' He screamed at the top of his burning lungs
Starfire stared at him wide-eyed
''You disgusting little COCHROACH! YOU SICKEN ME!''
Robin saw her eyes flash the same blue as The Ring Master; then flash back to her alien green as She yanked him by his collar up to her infuriated face and began to slap him stingingly across his face back and forth.
''BITE YOUR TONGUE BEFORE I DECIDE TO SLASH IT FROM YOUR VULGAR MOUTH! ---I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF ANYTHING DEAR OTHER THAN MY INSTRUCTOR AND FUTHERMOST, MY LOVE! ---I'VE NEVER HEARD SUCH FOUL WORDS, AND I SWEAR TO MY INSTRUCTOR'S NAME THAT SAID WORDS SHALL NEVER BE REPEATED AGAIN! --"
Every word was like a million knives slicing through his heart, the stinging from her sharp slapping were not even noticed. He couldn't describe this immortal pain that he knew would kill him any second, he secretly lost more than he ever though beyond his wildest and unforgiving dreams. The affairs of his heart were colliding with the dark storm of his forbidden suicidal desires—all in his head. Any longer, and surely his skull would make an agonizingly gory divide in two.
As--- dare I say it? ---The Ring Mistress tossed the defenseless Robin to the unforgiving floor; she swung a rib-crushing kick to his burnt chest while she watched with parasitic rapture and satisfaction the destroyed boy squirm under her gleaming eyes. And whilst he twitched and flinched in pain, only one thought ran through his darkest mind.
'So, this is what it's like to die….'