Gotham City Concerto
A Teen Titans Fan Fiction by Jacob McDonald
Opening Notes: I had to do two MAJOR re-writes for two different scenes in this chapter, hence it's belated arrival. Sorry. On the upside, I got another story up now (Re-Educating Miss Roth. Go read it.) and I hope to continue on into some REALLY cool stuff with the next chapter of this one, so it should come along nicely. Once again, I'd like to encorage everyone to head over to my Live Jornual account (linked through my homepage link in my profile) and check out what I have there. It's all updates and ideas I kick around for these stories, so don't feel that you'll be bogged down with my personal life. Not that there's really all that much to tell. :)
Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own Teen Titans, but I'm staring at you with my third eye.
Chapter 3: Emerald Knight, Obsidian Dawn: Part 1
"He's turning North, Starfire. Right!"
"I know my cardinal directions, thank you Barbara." Starfire grit her teeth, biting back another sarcastic comment. She'd already shouted at Babs twice this evening, and didn't wish to do so again.
She just didn't like it when the 'all seeing Oracle' tried to tell her how to do her job.
As she dashed around the corner of the ally way that led North, she tried for the umpteenth time that night to summon the joy of flight to herself, and fail once again. Growling and letting her eyes burn with crackling green energy, she ran faster.
Maybe it was the darkness, and the oppressive humidity that hung in the air around Gotham these days. Maybe it was the bleakness of the ongoing fight against crime that swept the streets of the Dark Knight's home. Deep down though, Star knew that it was because she was defending streets that he used to defend.
"Star! What are you doing?" Bab's voice came through her bird shaped earring loud and clear, snapping her out of her dazed state, "He just went up a fire escape and you ran straight past him!"
"I am sorry, Oracle. My mind wandered."
"Your mind wandered? Star, you're chasing a man who just shot six people! Keep focused!"
"I see him now. Going in." Star leapt from the ground, streaking up almost four stories of the building. She may have lost her ability to fly, but her enhanced Tameranian strength was easy to use. Boundless confidence she had in spades.
The shooter paused in his assent of the fire escape ladders as he found himself staring into the glowing green eyes of a very pissed off alien. He gulped as she grinned down at him, "Going up?" she asked sweetly as she yanked him off the ladder he was climbing and flung him bodily up the remaining six stories and on to the roof.
Starfire quickly climbed the rest of the way up herself, and spotted the shooter as he was trying his best to limp across the rooftop. She smiled in a grim manner, and fired off a starbolt, blasting his feet out from under him. As he hit the roof, he rolled over and stared back at his pursuer.
What he saw was a tall young woman with flaming red hair that fell past her waist in waves of flowing crimson. Green eyes burned down at him, and her beautifully sculpted face was twisted into an ugly sneer. Her skin had a slight amber hue to it, quite noticeable considering how much of it he could see.
Her outfit was beyond a doubt one of the best he'd ever seen a super hero wear. A single band of violet material wrapped around the back of her neck, and fell down her front, where it attached in two spots to her belt. The two bands of cloth barely covered her breasts, and he could easily see her pirced belly button. Her black spandex shorts were... short, and left large amounts of her legs visible until they disappeared into knee high purple boots with black soles.
Three rings decorated her left eyebrow, and a strange looking alien tattoo danced along the side of and down under her right eye. Metallic bracers were clamped on her wrists, and an arm band of similar make was clasped on her upper right arm.
All in all, not a bad chick to be caught by.
"You're disrespect for life is a treachery that shall not be overlooked. Let us see if you enjoy having your knees blasted apart!" she charged another shot, even over Barbara's cries of protest in her ear. The man's eyes widened and he quickly reevaluated his opinion on being caught by this alien girl.
Suddenly, a black shadow dropped from the building next to the one Star stood on and descended rapidly, landing in front of the downed gun man. A quick backward snap kick and the criminal hit the roof, unconscious.
The shadow rose into the dark form of a man. Twin, pointed ears stuck up from his black cowl, and the huge cape he wore blew about him in a sinister fashion.
"I think you've had enough for the night, Starfire." The Batman said in his deep, brooding voice.
"He deserved no less than what I delivered unto him." she lowered her hand and the charge starbolt faded, "He should be punished in accordance with his crimes." Star lifted her chin and stared down her nose at Batman in a regal fashion.
"He'll be judged by a jury of his peers, as is the law. You, Princess Starfire, do not hold any royal sway on this planet. If you're going to play that card, you'd better not play it in my city." Batman's eyes narrowed, and Starfire took a step back involuntarily. Even though she could punch holes in him, she knew she didn't stand a chance of arguing with, or winning a fight against the Batman.
"I will... be on my way then." she cast her eyes to the rooftop and started for the edge.
"Wait a moment." Batman walked over to her and took her shoulder, turning her back to him, "I'm going to be out of town for a few days. League business." Star rolled her eyes. 'League business' meant he was off to think for the JLA, since they couldn't seem to do so for themselves, "I'll need you and Oracle to hold down the fort while I'm gone."
"We are perfectly capable, Batman. Thank you for letting us know this time."
"I'll be back in three days." he turned from her and walked to the opposite side of the building, her eyes following him the whole way. He paused as he pulled out a grappler and aimed it, "And Kori..." he turned back and his eyes met hers, "I know you have a good heart, and a level head. Don't disappoint me like you did tonight."
As he swung away, she heard Babs' voice in her ear, "You never know how it feels to be scolded until Batman tells you that you disappointed him, huh?"
"I am tiered, Barbara. Please, shut up."
"A little snappy tonight, hmm? Come on home, Kori. I'll have the ice cream waiting."
"Affirmative." Starfire looked back to the South, where she could just make out Oracle's clock tower base of operations. With a sigh, she jumped from the building to the next one over. A hot bath and a soft bed hadn't sounded so good in a long time.
A few hours later found Starfire curled up on one of the couch's in the living room, eating asparagus flavored ice cream directly from the carton. Babs sat nearby in her wheelchair, eating a more modestly sized bowl of chocolate. Star had changed into black silk pants and a pink tank top, whereas Barbara wore simple jeans and a GCPD t-shit.
They were sitting in silence for almost a half hour before Starfire finally spoke, "I like your hair that way."
Babs reached back and bounced her new, shoulder length hair, "You think so? I just did it because it gets so hot in my computer lab... I should install more fans or something."
"It looks quite attractive."
"Thinking about playing for the other team, Kori?"
"Babs, please." Star rolled her eyes.
"Well, thanks any way."
"Where did you get it done?" Star took another huge bite of ice cream.
Babs eyed the alien for a moment, then shook her head. She'd never get used to the strange things Starfire ate, "I actually did it myself."
"Really?" Star leaned away from her a little, "Remind me never to anger you then."
"Why's that?" Babs took a bite of ice cream as well.
"Raven cuts her own hair. When he found out, Beast Boy told me to be extra wary of her. He said, 'You never want to mess with a girl who can cut her own hair.'"
Babs burst out laughing at that, and spit ice cream across the living room. Starfire screeched and jumped back from the spray, but ended up with some one her any way. With a laugh, she scooped a large clump of asparagus out of her carton, "Fiend! My vengeance will be swift and dire!" and she flicked the green ice cream at her friend.
Babs, unable to dodge without jumping from her chair, took the hit directly in the face. She smiled through it and took a scoop of her own frozen treat, "It's on now, Princess!"
Dinah Lance opened her eyes suddenly, and glanced around her darkened room. She was a light sleeper by necessity, and the sound of the window in the living room opening had woken her from her slumber.
Quickly and quietly, almost ninja like in her stealth, Dinah crept to the door of her room. She wore only a loose t-shirt and her underwear, but wasn't very concerned with modesty. Who ever was stupid enough to break into her upper East Gotham apartment was about to be in a world of hurt.
She ducked her blond head as she came to the living room, staying low and in the shadows. No sound. Not even someone breathing. The window had been left open, and the curtains blew in the warm breeze that drifted by outside.
After what felt like an eternity, she relaxed her muscles and walked to the window to close it. She was halfway there when the voice spoke, "Dinah Lance?"
She whirled around, lifted a letter opener from the side table next to her couch and hurled it like a throwing dagger directly at the source of the voice.
There was a shadow against the far wall, and she was shocked when it simply reached out and caught the letter opener, "I'm not here to fight."
"Then why are you here?" she took up a stance any way, "Breaking and entering isn't exactly the way to a girls heart."
"I need your help, Black Canary." the shadow moved forward a little until it stood in the light the moon cast through the window. Dinah caught her breath as the young man spoke again with a smirk, "Remember me?"
Red-X dashed along the rooftop of a chemical waste depository building in Jump City. He was tracking a group of guys who seemed to be making more withdrawals from the place then deposits.
As he crouched near the edge of the roof and watched the six men load barrels of chemicals with toxic waste symbols on them into the back of a truck, he thought about what he was doing. It sure as hell wasn't his usual night time activities.
When the Titans had been disbanded, he had started going out at least four times a week to appraise the way the criminal underworld was starting to form. There were major players moving into Jump, and he had a feeling that the city would need it's heroes again before too long. But why was he gathering this information?
It wasn't like he was going to jump down there and stop the chemical thieves. He wasn't doing anything to interfere. He was just... observing. Somehow, he felt he owed it to Jump City. The town was young, but he'd lived in it his whole life. He'd learned it's streets, and it's charms, and he knew it's dark and hidden areas, where a thief could lie low. It was his home, and he was going to make sure it didn't get swept away by some out of town organization that wanted a piece of the pie now that the Slade-pretender was gone.
As the men all gathered around the leader of them gang to receive instructions, he quickly pulled out a small camera and zoomed it in until he had a clear, digital frame of their faces. He snapped several pictures, making sure to get all six of them, then turned away from his quarry. The snapshots would serve the authorities well when the time came to oust those men.
As he walked across the rooftop, pocketing his camera, he didn't see the purple blur flying down from the sky behind him. The violet comet slammed into his back, and he let out a grunt as strong hands gripped his shoulders and shoved him halfway across the rooftop.
When he slid to a stop, he found himself being flipped over and pinned once again. He looked up into the face of a beautiful girl with long black hair as she grinned down at him and shouted in his face, "Ha! Got you right where I want you Rob-" she paused and got a confused look on her face, "Hey, you're not Robin."
"Oh, well spotted." X struggled a little, "Mind getting off of me, babe? I need those arms."
"Oh, no." she grinned as she stood up and hauled him to his feet, "I wouldn't want to hurt you, would I?" The look in her eyes told him that she very much would like to hurt him, if he gave her an excuse.
Taking a moment to rub feeling back into his arms, he studied her. She was tall, and had long black hair that fell to her waist. Clad in a strange, alien looking body suit that was made of purple cloth and mettle, she looked quite exotic, especially around her eyes, which were accented by hints of some strange looking makeup. Her body was a perfect ten (in his humble opinion) and her eye brows were two thin strips of black. Violet eyes studied him right back, and amber hued skin reflected the moonlight nicely.
"Well now," his voice took on an amused tone, "unless I miss my guess, you're Tameranian."
Her eyebrow arched, "You seem to know your alien species quite well, Mister...?"
"X. Red-X." he pointed to the mark on his mask.
"Right. I'm going to take a wild shot in the dark and say that you're a Titan, and that you're buddy buddy with my sister." the black haired girl's hand shot out and grabbed him about the throat. She lifted him off the rooftop and started to squeeze the life out of him, "I can't have the Titan's knowing I'm back on Earth just yet."
Red-X gasped for breath and struggled weakly. Her alien strength was slowly crushing through his suits reinforced material. He gasped out what few words he could to save his own life, "No! Titans... gone! Starfire... not... here!"
"What?" she dropped him and he gulped down huge breaths of air, "What do you mean she's not here?" the strange Tameranian's eyes flared purple.
"Starfire... she's in Gotham. Other side of the continent."
"What is she doing there? What happened to the Titans?"
"Disbanded. They fucked up pretty bad, so they got fired."
"Really?" the girl sounded quite pleased by this development, "That's great! Half my job is done already! Now all I have to do is find my worthless little sister and beat her skull into the ground!"
"What'd she ever do to you?" Red-X asked as he stood up.
"She took away my throne and banished me from our home planet!" the girl took a threatening step forward.
X held up his hands and shrugged, "Hey! I was just asking... I mean, she's gone through a lot recently, and I don't know if Big Sis coming around to beat her up is exactly what she needs right now." at the girls questioning glance, he sighed, "You have a name?"
"Blackfire." she responded with a regal air.
"Well, Blackfire, let's head back to my place and we'll talk there. I need to store some pictures on my computer before I forget."
She watched as Robin turned back to Tim and started running.
"Robin!" she screamed after him, "No!"
She started to fly forward, not knowing what she was going to do. Gather all the bombs and hurl them into the river? Grab the two young men inside and fly them to safety?
As she hurled forward though, there was shrill beeping sound from inside the warehouse and the bombs went off. The force of the blast hurled her back into the line of police cars, blasting her into one of the windshields and knocking the breath from her.
As she regained her bearings, she pulled herself free, "ROBIN!" she screamed again and flew into the blaze.
Looking.
Hunting.
Searching.
"ROBIN!" she screamed again, "TIM! Answer me!"
But there was nothing left. The whole warehouse had been leveled, and she knew, in spite of her utter horror, that nothing could have survived the blast.
Smoke stung at her eyes and filled her lungs even as she drew a huge gulp of breath as the shock started to set in, and she screamed...
"ROBIN!" Starfire sat up straight in her bed, her eyes glowing green. She panted, catching her breath and forced a hold on her fear and anger, making her eyes fade back to normal. After what felt like an eternity, the alien princess slumped forward and hugged herself.
She felt thankful for the soundproof walls once again, as her sobs and cries for Robin came in short, painful bursts.
"So," Blackfire leaned over and inspected a wooden figurine standing on the mantel above the fireplace in Red-X's uptown pent house apartment, "you live pretty good for a former Titan."
"I was never a Titan." X pealed off his mask and sighed, "We just worked together once or twice." his voice was much deeper and smoother when he wasn't wearing the mask.
"So? You're still a hero, do-gooder type." she stood up again and leaned against the wall, her eyes following him across the room to his computer, taking in his short blond hair and blue eyes.
"I'm a thief, actually." he said over his shoulder as he connected his camera to the system and started downloading the pictures, "Right now I'm just keeping an eye on things until the city reinstates the Titans."
"You think they'll be back?"
"I don't know yet. The JLA might just handle things themselves."
"I see." she arched an eyebrow as he reached under the back collar of his suit and pushed a button. A seam appeared along his back and he pushed it open to reveal a long slit. Shrugging his arms and chest out of the suit he turned back to her.
"Make yourself comfortable." he waved at the couches and the refrigerator, "I'm going to get out of this and take a shower."
She eyed his well muscled chest, "Sure thing, Mr. X."
"Call me Brian." he winked at her, and walked down a hall way to the bathroom.
Blackfire grinned as she walked towards the hallway.
"Why do you need my help, exactly?" Dinah asked as she sipped a mug of coffee. They were seated in her living room, with the lights on now, both of them drinking a hot cup of the caffeine loaded liquid.
"I need to track down Starfire, and I was hoping you might be able to help." the young man sitting across from her had black hair, was dressed in all black combat fatigues, wore steel rimmed combat boots...
... and a black mask over his eyes.
"Sorry, Robin, but you know how Batman is. Even if I'm helping his deceased ward I'm likely to get my butt kicked for operating in his city. I'm surprised he hasn't tried to make me move yet."
"Ah, but that's where luck comes into play." Dick arched an eyebrow, "I happen to know that Batman is out of town on JLA business right now. Tracking down Star shouldn't be too hard, since he's left her in charge of protecting the city in his absence."
Dinah narrowed her eyes at him, "How do you know all of this?"
"I stopped by the cave on my way here. I've been keeping in touch with him."
"So wait..." she rubbed her eyes and sat her coffee down on the side table, "You've been keeping in touch with your mentor, but not your girlfriend?"
Dick blushed a little, "Um... well... yeah."
"Men." she shook her head, "You're all such idiots."
He crossed his arms over his chest, "Are you going to help me or not?"
"Yes, yes... fine." she threw her hands up, "I'll help you find Starfire, but don't expect me to keep her from pummeling you into the ground when we do catch up to her."
Brian rubbed the conditioner from his hair and grumbled quietly to himself. Why hadn't Raven ever told him that Starfire had a sister? Especial one that was bent on beating her sibling to a pulp?
How was he supposed to handle this situation? He'd only met Star on friendly terms once, and that had been at Raven's birthday party several weeks before. The alien girl had given him the cold shoulder the whole night, and had glared at him when she thought he wasn't looking. He had a hunch she didn't like him wearing around her dead boyfriend's super suit.
As he stood in the hot spray and let the warm water rinse the nights stress out of his limbs, he pondered what to do with Blackfire. He couldn't let her just head off and beat up Starfire, for two major reasons; first, because he really didn't want to see Star get hurt, and two, because he wasn't sure Blackfire could take her sister.
It was true, the purple Tameranian seemed quite a bit stronger and more mature than her sister, but Star had seemed so dark and brooding while she had been in Jump City. Her powers were being effected by Robin's demise, and he didn't know if Gotham could survive a fight between two such angry, super powered beings.
There was a gentle breeze along his back as the shower curtain flapped at him, and then it was gone. Not half a second later, a warm body pressed into his back. His eyes widened as he felt soft breasts just below his shoulder blades, and hot breath on his neck. Two firm hands snaked around his front and gripped him in a very sensitive area.
Brian groaned as those hands started moving in divine ways.
Slowly, he turned around and found himself looking down at Blackfire, naked and pressing herself into him.
"Um... what the hell... Blackfire-"
"Shhh..." she held a finger to his lips, "Call me Komand'r." He gulped as she grinned up at him, "Ever made it with an alien before, Brian?"
He pondered that for a moment. Raven definitely wasn't a hundred percent human... did she qualify? He decided after a moment that she didn't, "Nope."
"Well then... today's your lucky day..." her tongue flicked out and tasted the shower water dripping from his chin, "Tameranian chicks are easy..."
Babs wheeled her way down the hall and out into the living room. She wore tightly fitting work out clothes, and had her unfeeling, unmoving legs strapped together with thick rubber cords around her ankles and thighs so they wouldn't flop around so badly and throw her balance off as she worked out.
As she came to the living room, intent of passing through and into the kitchen so she could make some coffee, she was suprised to see Starfire curled up on the couch, sipping a mug of tea. The alien girl was rubbing at her face in a hopeless attempt to hide the tear tracks running down her cheeks.
"Nightmares again?" she asked as she wheeled over to her friend.
"Yes." Starfire sniffed once and shook her head, "I am much too old for bad dreams to keep me up all night. I am no longer a child..."
"You don't have to be a child to be emotionally scarred like you've been, Kori. Dick's death is going to haunt you for a long time... but... you have to work past it..."
"I cannot. He was... so dear to me. Besides, I do not want to forget him. I do not want to stop moarning him."
"But what about the effect this is having on your powers?" Babs leaned forward, "Star, you're not as effective doing what he would have wanted you to keep doing if you don't-"
"There has been no effect on my powers." Star snapped, "I am just as-"
"You haven't flown since that night, have you?" Babs asked quietly.
Star stared at her for a moment, then her face fell, "I do not wish to speak of it. It is... a Tameranian manner."
"Okay, Kori. Okay." Babs continued on to the kitchen, "Just know that if you ever need anyone, I'm here for you."
"I know, Barbara. Thank you." Star stared out the window of the clock tower, watching at the sky turned gray with the sunrise and rain clouds rolled in off the Atlantic.
It was almost 5:00 AM before Brian opened his eyes and sat up in bed. He was usually up by 4:30, ready to do some combat training for a few hours before he ate. Robin had always been a better combatant than he was, and he trained every day to sharpen his skills as a warrior, to complement his already formidable skills as a thief.
Something was different about today though. He was naked, and the bed was weighted wrong. Looking down to his left, he saw the reason, and the night before came back to him in a rush, clearing his sleep doused brain quickly.
"Blackfire..." he murmured, smiled down at her sleeping form. She too was still naked, and her long black hair spilled across the pillows and sheets in an alluring manner. She turned slightly in her rest and her eyes cracked open. She stared up at him and a smile graced her lips. It wasn't her usual 'I'm-so-bad' grin at all though; this smile was soft and gentle, reminding him more of her sister than her.
"Is it morning already?" the alien girl asked, sitting up and letting the sheets fall away from her breasts, "We just got to sleep a few hours ago... not that I'm complaining."
He leaned down and kissed her gently, "It's almost morning. I have some training to do, then maybe we can eat breakfast."
"No... I should be on my way to see Koriand'r. She is in a city called Gotham?" Blackfire sat up the rest of the way and started searching for her clothes.
"Yeah, about 3,000 miles to the East. Komand'r... be careful what you start with her... ever since Robin died-"
"WHAT?" Blackfire spun around and gaped at him, "Robin... died?"
"Yeah... just after he and Star got together, actually. From what Raven says, she was really in love with him. It's been... affecting her powers in strange ways."
"She... loved him? Oh no... oh Koriand'r what has happened to you?" Blackfire jumped up from the bed and began to fly around the room, gathering her clothes.
"What's the big rush?" Brian watched her zoom about, "Is she in danger?"
"Maybe. If she truly loved Robin, and he has died, then she may be undergoing Rek-tal'k."
"What the hell is that?"
"The process by which a Tamaranian falls further and further into depression, until they are nothing but a destructive shell of their former self."
"Oh... and you care if this happens why? You don't even like Starfire."
Blackfire whirled around in mid-air and tossed her clothes down on the bed, "There's a difference between not getting along with my sister and not caring when she is about to become an unfeeling monster. I can't let this happen to her. Who would?" she zipped across the room and grabbed one of her boots from where she'd kicked it off the night before while she was stripping to get in the shower with him, "Who would let such a thing happen to a beautiful little girl who... who never had an evil thought for anyone... who saw people as something better than what they were..."
She trailed off into silence and shut her eyes tightly, slowly sinking down until she was sitting on the bed. Brian reached out to touch her, saw the tears beginning to form in her eyes, and pulled his hand back, "I can give you maps to help you find your way faster."
"Really?" she looked up at him and smiled, wiping the unshed tears from her eyes, "Thank you... I have to leave soon."
"Yeah... let me find them while you get dressed." Brain went to stand up out of bed but was pulled back down by the alien princess. His eyes widened slightly as she kissed him passionately.
After a moment she pulled away and rested her head against his, "What we shared last night was... special to me, Brian. I will return to you before I leave this planet again... can we share again?"
She sounded slightly nervous, insecure even. His heart melted, "Yeah. Stop by whenever you're in the solar system and we can have some fun."
"Oh... good, I... I would like that very much."
"Maps."
"What?" she blinked and pulled away from him a little.
"I have to find those maps for you. You need to let go for me to do that."
Blackfire looked down and saw that she had wrapped her arms and legs around his body while she had been kissing him. With a light blush, she pulled away from him and winked, "I'll put clothes on before my body starts doing things like that again."
"You do that." he winked back and rose to go find the maps for her.
Blackfire watched his naked body from where she sat on the bed and felt the blood in her veins pump a bit harder. This human male did things to her that no other male had ever done before. Biting her lip, she turned to find her clothes.
"So when and where do we start, Boy Wonder?" Black Canary asked as she stepped into her living room, now dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.
"Don't call me that." Dick shook his head, "I'm not Robin any more."
"What should I call you then?" she sat down on the couch again, directly across from him.
"How about my name? Call me Dick."
"How about Richy?"
"Dick will do just fine."
"Whatever." she waved a hand, "When and where?"
"Tonight, and I'll need to listen to the police scanners to figure out where. When I quit being Robin, Batman quit giving me access to the good toys. We're on our own here."
"So, you need a place to hang out until tonight, right?"
"I was... um... kind of hoping you wouldn't mind if I just... took a nap on your couch or something."
She sighed, "How did I know that was coming? Tell me, Dick, do you know why I'm helping you?"
"Um... no."
"Because I believe that if you're alive, you're destine for greatness. Even if you aren't Robin any more, you'll be a hero again someday. You'll be a damn good hero." she leaned forward, "I believe in you, Dick. Everyone who's ever met you believes in you. All's that's left now is for you to believe in yourself."
Dick sighed and looked away. He peeled the mask off his face and tossed it on the table between them, "I wont be needing that any more. Not until after I talk with Kori."
"You'll work things out. Just... have faith."
Dick stared out the window at the rain as it started to fall. Faith was something he was having a hard time coming by lately, "Thanks Dinah."
"Any time." she leaned back, "You want some breakfast?"
"Sure." he smiled at her.
She pointed to the kitchen area with a grin, "I'll have my eggs sunny side up, please."
The rain hadn't let up all day.
Of course that hadn't stopped Oracle from sending Starfire out as soon as the tip came down that the Technoterrorist group LOCUS was planning on making Gotham it's own personal test lab for a new air-born viral agent that could be used to wipe out whole cities. It was something that would have taken all five Titans to take on back in Jump City.
In Gotham though, it was just another night.
"We can nip the whole thing in the bud if you can stop trash their center of operations." Oracle's voice came through her earring, "We take out their central transmitter, and their drone craft can't navigate. No drone craft, no viral agent being spread."
"I am approaching the coordinates now. Shall I proceed with caution, or announce my presence loudly?" Star hopped from the top of the building she was on and landed four stories down on the next one over. Across the street from her was the building that LOCUS was storing their drone craft in, and directing them by remote from.
"Don't see why you shouldn't do what you do best." Oracle replied, "Knock out the transmitter on top of the building first, then crash the rest of the party."
"Watch my back, Barbara. I am going in." and she leapt from the building top in a flash of green energy. She sailed across the gap between the two structures with unearthly grace, covering the distance of the seven lane street twenty stories below with no difficulty whatsoever.
She landed with a loud thump! on top of the LOCUS building, and located the transmitter tower immediately. With a low growl, she started to power up a large starbolt blast.
"Did you hear that?" on lab coat wearing terrorist asked his partner, who was also wearing a lab coat. They both looked up at the ceiling and frowned.
"Yeah... you think someone's up on the roof?"
"Don't know. I'll send one of the camera equipped drone craft up there to check it ou-"
He was cut off as a huge explosion rocked the building, and the part of the ceiling the transmitter tower sat on caved in with a blinding flash of green energy.
"Holy...!" the first terrorist stumbled back and grabbed a telephone off a hook behind him. Dialing a number quickly, he shouted, "LOCUS home base! We need back up now!"
"Sorry, chump." a female voice responded, sounding highly amused, "All lines are down right now."
"Oh no." he turned around in time to see his partner stumbling away from the gaping hole in the roof as a glowing green woman descended into the lab and landed on the floor in a crouch. She rose and glared around, emerald energy burning out of her eyes, and saw the two of them huddled in the corner.
"Where are the drone craft?" she demanded in a voice that almost made them wet themselves. Both of them pointed at the same time to their right, at a wall that had several compartments built into it. Without looking away from them, the girl lifted one hand and a flash of green energy erupted off of it.
The wall was blown from the side of the building soundly, and all the drone craft disintegrated in the burning energy storm. Starfire lowered her hand and scowled at the two terrorists. Looking past them, she saw a long table with several beakers labeled, 'Micocepilitiphor.'
She raised her glowing green hand with a wide, insane grin, "You may wish to duck." she said in a conversational manner.
The two terrorists' eyes grew wide and they threw themselves to the floor in time to avoid being blasted into little chunky bits. The starbolt hit the table behind them, and in a flash the beakers had blown to pieces, and the virus inside of them had been burned away into nothingness.
One of the men looked up and saw that Starfire was no longer where she had been standing just a moment before. He gasped, "Where'd she go?"
His answer came as he was lifted from the ground and hurled bodily into one of the large computer arrays, smashing it as he slammed into it with enough force to shatter several of his bones. The other man looked up with wide eyes and saw Star looming over him.
He couldn't help it. He stared at her rack.
"I do not appreciate the way your eyes are apprising my body, Doctor." her hand shot out and grabbed him about the throat, lifting him up so that his feet dangled above the ground. It was then that he realized how tall she was.
As she held the choking man with one hand, Starfire spoke, "You are a disgrace to humanity, plotting to destroy so many of your own people. On my planet, the punishment for a crime such as this would be a sift and painful death." the man whimpered and kicked his feet as his breath started to leave him, "Goodbye, Doctor. I'm afraid this is going to hurt, very, very much."
She hauled back a fist, glowing with green energy and prepared to smash it through his chest. His eyes widened for a moment, then rolled back in his skull as he passed out. Star grinned and let her punch fly any way.
Except that her punch didn't fly. She jerked her arm once again, but found that something was holding it back. Turning her head slowly, she gazed into a set of hard, violet eyes.
"Hello, Blackfire."
"Starfire." the black haired beauty nodded to her sister.
"Did you know you are holding my wrist quite tightly?"
"Yes."
"Why are you holding my wrist, sister?"
"To stop you from killing this man." Blackfire frowned, "This is most unlike you, sister. Stop this foolishness at once."
"You do not give orders to me any more, Blackfire." Star frowned and let loose a blast from her eyes, blowing her sister back through multiple desks and computer terminals.
A purple explosion from that side of the room erupted into a screaming Blackfire as she plowed her way out of the heap of splintered particle board and shattered electronics. Star sighed and tossed the terrorist she was holding away as she turned to meet her sister's charge.
They locked hands, and the force of Blackfire's flight smashed Star's feet down through the ground, blowing her into the level below the one that had housed the drones and the virus. Star hit the floor with a grunt, struggling with her sister, who was sitting on top of her, throwing punches and smashing holes in the ground as Star moved her face to avoid them.
"I must stop you from doing something you will regret!" Blackfire shouted, "Come to your senses, Star!"
"You know nothing of what I will and will not regret, sister!" Star caught both of Blackfire's hands and shoved her up. Once they were standing, she yanked her sister close, then shoved her away, twirling her bodily up into the air, and throwing her though the ceiling, back into the top floor of the building.
"Star!" came Oracle's voice, "What the hell is going on in there?"
"Just a little family squabble." Star replied with venom in her voice, "It will be over soon."
She jumped up through the hole she had just made with Blackfire and looked to her right just in time to deflect a starbolt from her sister. The energy attack was followed by another tackle, this time, slamming her into the ground, but not through it.
"Destroying buildings and lives are not things you do, Koriand'r! Remember who you are! Do not become like your enemies!"
"What are you babbling about, sister?" Starfire scowled, "I am destroying this place because it is the base of operations for a terrorist group bent on killing everyone in this city!"
"What?" Blackfire stopped trying to pin her sister, "So... you haven't gone crazy yet?"
"NO!" Star screamed and twin rays of burning green energy blasted Blackfire off of her and back into the wall of computers, smashing most of them. Star flew in quickly and started throwing punches and starbolts, knowing her sister would dodge them, but also knowing that she was blowing apart the parts of the lab that she needed to.
"Stop this, sister!" Blackfire shouted, "I am not here to fight! I want to help you!"
"When have you ever wanted to help me?" Star stopped her blasting, satisfied that she had effectively destroyed the lab, "Did I not banish you during my short reign as Supreme Ruler of Tamaran?"
Oracle's voice sounded in her ear, "You were Supreme Ruler of Tamaran? And who are you talking to?"
"Not now, Oracle." she hissed in reply, then turned back to her sister, "Blackfire, you were banished! Why are you here?"
"Oh, I got sick of that, so I quit being banished and came here to see you."
"You cannot quit being banished! What twisted logic drives that mad mind of yours?"
"Oh ho! Insults, baby sister? I never knew you had such a vicious streak?"
"I will show you just how vicious I can be if you do not tell me exactly why you are here!" Starfire's eyes flared green and she took a step forward, raising her fists.
"This is why." Blackfire responded quietly, surprising Star and taking most of the fight out of her, "Your temper has grown, you are prone to violence, and your powers have... grown destructive."
"What are you saying? Be plain about your meaning or leave me alone, sister." Star walked to the opening in the ceiling and jumped up, landing on the roof. She started to walk away but found herself facing Blackfire once again.
"When was the last time you flew, Koriand'r?" she asked quietly. When Star didn't respond, she continued, "It was the night he died, wasn't it? When you lost the one you love."
Star's eyes widened, "How do you know about that? Who told you?"
"Brian... erm... Red-X. I met him in Jump City and he told me where to find you... he also filled me in on what has happened to you in the past few months, and-"
"He is a criminal, and he disgraces Robin's memory by wearing a suit he stole from him. I do not like Red-X."
"Star, stop acting like you don't know what's happening. You're going through Rek-tal'k and you know it!"
Starfire glared for a moment, then her face fell, "I know." she replied quietly, "I just have not been able to stop it yet. My new power level has served me well in my work here in Gotham, and I thought I could control it-"
"You can't." Blackfire reached out and touched her sister's arm, "Star, we can work past it together. In a few weeks time, you and I can rediscover our heritage and our people's glorious history... we just have to work... together."
"Komand'r..." Star looked up at her sister, and smiled, "I would be honored if you would help me... when did this sudden change happen? You are being... sisterly."
"I've never really hated you, Star... just... you're so annoying sometimes! You're my little sister after all... I have to torment you."
"Blackfire!" Star almost laughed, "What a horrid thing to say!"
"Um, Star?" Oracle called over the open com line, "I hate to break this little love fest up, but I've just got about four fire calls in simultaneously here. I have a bank robbery, a shoot out, a break in at STAR Labs, and a murder that I think we should look into ourselves."
Starfire sighed and looked over at her sister. She thought for moment, then reached into a small pocket on her tight shorts. Pulling out her spare earring, she handed it to Blackfire, "While you are here, sister, you might as well help. We will talk more in the morning, after tonight's work is done."
"It's raining." Blackfire pointed up at the obviously falling rain.
"Crime does not wait for anything, Komand'r, even the rain." she touched her own earring as Blackfire put hers on, "Oracle? My sister will be joining us in this nights efforts. Please direct her to the bank robbery. I will handle the shoot out, then the murder investigation."
"Um, okay. Star's sister... your code name is Blackfire?"
"Um..." Blackfire touched her new hawk shaped earring, "Yeah."
"All right. You can fly, right? Just head due East from where you are, and watch the streets for the police cars chasing the van. I'll guide you better when you get closer."
"Okay." she nodded and turned to her sister, "I'm only doing this so we can talk sooner. Remember that."
Star covered her mouth to hide her smile, "Of course, sister. I believe you."
"I am!" she frowned at Starfire, then threw her hands up, "Oh, just go stop your shoot out. I'll see you soon."
As Blackfire flew off, and Star ran to the side of the building and jumped to the next one over, two dark figures crouched on a roof ledge across the street, watching silently. Both were covered in dark gray cloaks, and both watched the proceedings with mixed feelings.
"Why isn't she flying?" asked the first, obviously female figure.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out. She was talking to someone she called Oracle." he put the listening device he had been using away inside his cloak somewhere and turned to his friend, "Blackfire's presence kind of throws everything off a little. Can you follow her, and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid or dangerous?"
"Sure." the female nodded, "I'm kind of interested to find out where Star's getting her orders from anyway."
"Me too. I'll keep tabs on Starfire. With her powers impaired like they seem to be, I might need to help her."
"Just be careful. You're still recovering from being blown up, remember."
"Yeah." the male figure nodded, "Let's move."
Blackfire looked down at the streets below her and followed the swerving van with her eyes. The police cars were falling behind as the robbers shot at anything that would fall in the street and block the path of their pursuers.
"What now, Oracle?" she asked, "I have the robbers in visual range, but they're shooting too much for me to get in behind them and give chase."
"Then you'll have to get in front of them and make them stop."
"I like the way you guys think out here in Gotham." she grinned and flew faster.
"Don't get to comfy here, Blackfire. You wouldn't like the city's usual defender. Batman doesn't take well to newcomers."
"I'll keep that in mind. Hold the chatter for a moment while I stop this van."
Blackfire flew down and landed in the street, leaning against a car as she waited. Whistling a tuneless tune, she looked around at the gothic architecture, and the huge, dark buildings.
"Creepy." she muttered as the van's headlights came into view. Once it was close enough not to stop or swerve, the Tameranian stepped out into the street, the headlights bathing her grinning visage in white illumination.
She could hear the driver and the passenger in the van yelling as she planted her feet and stuck out her hands, literally catching the van and lifting it off the ground to diffuse it's momentum as the front of it smashed in like a tin can. Slamming the crushed vehicle back into the ground, she dusted her hands off and flew back up into the night air, satisfied that the robbers inside wouldn't be moving any time soon.
"Okay, Oracle." she said with a grin, "I think I'm getting the hang of this crime fighting stuff. Where to next?"
Black Canary sat on a building ledge over looking the area where cops were pulling up and arresting the men in the smashed van. She watched as Blackfire flew up into the sky and shot of Westward.
"Daaamn." she said, looking back down at the van. Shrugging, she made a note to keep a better distance, and took off after the flying alien princess.
Five men crouched behind their two trucks, firing what seemed to be an endless supply of bullets at the police units lines across the street just twenty yards away. The cops were pinned, having only their side arms to defend with against the fully automatic sub machine guns of their Russian mob opponents.
"Keep on them, Kolya! We have the filthy pigs pinned!" shouted one of the mobsters in a think accent.
"Da!" another of them shouted over the din of the gun fire, "They are dead!"
A green blur slammed into the pavement just in front of the cars the mobsters hid behind, and the cops immediately stopped shooting. The Russians stopped as well, wondering what had just fallen down from the building next to them and into the street.
"What was that?" One of them ducked down and looked under the truck he was hiding behind. He saw a pair of purple boots, planted firmly in-between the two vehicles.
"Will you boys... please... stop... FIGHTING?" screamed an enraged alien girl as she lifted both trucks by the front of their frames and smashed them together just above the Russian gangsters. The fuel tanks ruptured, sparks flew, and the two trucks exploded into a massive fireball that blew the mobsters to the ground and scattered bits of metal and flaming bits of fiberglass all over the street.
In a green blur, the girl leapt up to a building ledge, then away from the scene as she dashed along and up to a building top.
Right past a young man hiding in the shadows, watching the proceedings with a raised eyebrow.
Babs fell back in her chair, her eyes trailing away from the screen in her work area that showed the view of a security camera for the department store across the street from where Star had just decimated the trucks and laid out the Russian mobsters. She rubbed her eyes and switched channels back to Blackfire, who she could see was making good time by tracking her earring and noting the position on a holographic city map that was projected on the wall next to her.
"STAR Labs will be coming up on your left soon, Blackfire. Stay out of sight until I can gather some more reliable intel. Search out an clues, but do not engage any targets. I'll tell you who to thump when the time comes."
"Got it. Recon, but no beatings." Blackfire sounded entirely too cheerful about her assignment.
Switching off the channel, Babs turned to her computers once again, "I don't know if this city can take much more of these two..." she mumbled as she began searching STAR Labs security footage for whoever the crook or crooks were that had broken in, but still not left the compound.
Closing Notes: Yeah, I'm cutting it off there. Sadistic, I know. Predictions? Favorite lines? Go to my LJ and tell me! Linked through the homepage link in my profile.
Reviewers are great! Be one of them!
goldfish demon - Those weren't Jason's thought's on ALL woman... just his. :)
Arezal - Hope your socks have been rocked once again. Oh, and um... Nazi Pirates? Wha...?
Yeliak - No Rob/Star action yet, but coming soon, have no fear. When I go back and read what I've posted, those spelling and grammer errors jump out at me like mad. I hate it. I really do proff everything I write, but even I miss things. Hard to believe, I know. But seriously, sorry for them. I don't do it to annoy you. :)
cyberclock (aka Nightshadow)- I didn't kill Robin! He's still there... kind of. Well... just read through the end of this story and you'll see what plans I have for 'Robin.'
StarryRavenFire - Once again, I hope I've lived up to the expectations of my readers. Look for HardAss!Raven to return with a vengence soon, as well as more from Dad!Speedy. Oh, and are you a mind reader? You got a very important part of the story figured out already!
Stolen Valkyrie - By 'nice interlude chappy' you mean, 'way to keep the story alive with absoulutly no plot' right:) Seriously, thanks for the long, in depth reviews you ALWAYS give. I love 'em. I haven't seen you at the LJ yet (peer pressure!Go now!) but I know you'll get there when you get there.
Heaven's Angel - Sorry to leave you hanging, and I know I didn't help much with this chapter, but it'll come. Oh yes, the sex will come. Wait... that sounded dirty. Nevermind. Ah, hell.Who cares? Thanks for the review bud!
ravene- Dang indeed. Dang indeed... Read Falling Up. That's a Rob/Rea. Hell, read anything else I've written outside this series... they're all Rob/Rea. :)
seattleitegirl- Holy...! Another mind reader! Where the hell do you guyscome from? My fingers itch to write the Kylee with magic powers scenes... trust me... they'll be... funny. :)
goldfish demon -(review forthe prolouge) Yeah, it was suposed to be a quick intro thing. Nothing huge and spectacular. I liked it. :)
WHOCARES?- Ah yes. The immortal Pink Floyd. May their music live on long after the Earth and all it's many life formshave been wiped from the face of the universe. They are... awsome. WishYou Were Here is my absoulute FAVORITE Pink Floyd song ever. Cause I can sing it in the car, and not sound like an idiot. At least not all the way. :)
skweeks50 - At a loss for words eh? I'll let you borrowa few of mine if you want... How about, 'You'and 'Rock'. Oh! And you could throw in a 'HARD, DUDE!' if you're so inclined. Thanks for your kindness, and I hope tohear fromyou again soon!
greg867 - BB went with Jinx in the chapter before this one. Sorry dude. :)
Terra Basher - You cheated the computer? Don't do that! The universe might implo-
ploop!
Aw nuts. See what you did now? Well, thanks for the review any way:)
Next Time: Chapter Four - Emerald Knight, Obsidian Dawn: Part 2
In which Blackfire goeshunting for prey,and Starfire becomes the prey for a hunter...