Chapter 7:

Hemorrhage

We found an abandoned Motel 6 to stay at for the night; we were just too tired to continue on. All the previous tenants evacuated, nobody was there to bother us. Cyborg began to search for some means to hand-make a recharging unit – his power cell was getting pretty low.

"Everyone, get some rest," I said. "There's no telling how long it'll be before Slade's forces march into town and start wreaking havoc. Good night."

I turned and walked into my chosen room. It was actually quite pleasant, something I'm not really accustomed to. The sheets were a bright floral pattern, the beds were firm but inviting, and the smell was quite invigorating. I propped my sword up against the cream-colored wall, walked into the bathroom and began to undress. My clothes were worn and tattered; faint scars were found everywhere, especially where my bullet wounds were. I didn't know what the extent of the "Cure" magic Ariel used on me did for them, but I wasn't having any complications yet. I turned on the shower and climbed in.

I leaned back against the shower wall. The steaming hot water pelted me, washing away every single care I had at the moment. It felt good to let go…

…and then Starfire's voice echoed inside my head, "Raven?"

Scared shitless, I leapt back into the corner. Starfire had her head poked in through the curtain, mesmerized by me sans clothes. I covered up faster than flash paper going up in smoke as Starfire's face turned a deep shade of red. I had to jar her senses to get her to get out of the bathroom.

I yelled, "STARFIRE!"

She blinked, realizing that her presence was not appreciated at the time.

"Oh, I-am-very-sorry-I-shall-go," she blurted as she quickly made haste out of the bathroom. I didn't hear a door slam, so she obviously stuck around. I finished showering with the complimentary soap and shampoo provided and got out. I slicked my hair back and wrapped a towel around me. Starfire was sitting on the edge of one of the queen sized beds inside the motel room. She was still pretty embarrassed as her face still had some major blush.

"Is there something I can help you with!" I asked, sternly.

Starfire kept quiet, obviously too shy to speak. I could see her eyes start to water as her feelings shattered. Mentally, I slapped myself for forgetting how sensitive Starfire was. I walked over and sat beside her, trying desperately of the right things to say without hurting the Tamaranian girl any more.

I put my hand on hers, saying, "Look, Star, I'm sorry, alright? But I do value my privacy."

"No, I am the one that is sorry," Starfire said, still looking at the floor. "I am unsure about these rooms with baths that you use. Usually I do not interfere but I was in desperate need to talk to you."

"Believe me Star, knock first, alright?"

She nodded and finally made eye contact.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Starfire hugged me so tight that it nearly popped my back into place.

"I'll take that as a yes," I muttered flatly.

Starfire released and dried her eyes, "I am sorry, really, I do not like making anyone angry. It hurts me inside. You probably wish to change out of that towel, yes?"

I looked back down at my makeshift garment.

"That would be wise," I said as I retreated back to the bathroom.

I put back on my worn leotard and came back out.

"I wanted to thank you for saving me," Starfire said. "I am sorry that I was not able to support myself."

I sat beside her again, saying, "It's okay Star: that's what friends do when one's in need. Especially when the building around them is collapsing and there's an extremely poisonous gas chasing them."

Starfire giggled, "Very true, indeed. Where do you believe Ariel went?"

"If anything, she followed Slade."

"But why would she leave us behind?"

I sighed, "I don't know Starfire. I've only known her for less than twenty-four hours now. But she's seemed to know me since I ever came into existence."

Starfire nodded, "Yes, Ariel is very wise. She apologized to Robin about something earlier."

"Did she do something wrong?"

Star shook her head, "No, it was something else. Robin seemed very sad after she did but did appreciate it. I was very confused."

When are you not, I thought.

"Did you ask Robin?"

"I did not."

"I guess I can understand that," I said. "Is there anything else strange that she did?"

"I do not think so. We were fighting so much there was not much time for idle chat."

"I'll bet anything Robin's up right now obsessing on how we get to Slade."

"You are correct," Starfire said. "I tried to convince him that sleep was best for him now, but he would not listen."

Just for the sake of argument and to ease the mood, I asked, "Did you give him a good night kiss?"

Starfire looked at me with utter shock. Once again, the blood shot straight to her face. I smiled at her, "Come on Starfire, you can tell me."

She looked at the floor again, "I did not."

"Much to your dismay," I added.

"Yes, indeed."

I scooted back up to the head of the bed. Starfire followed shortly. I grabbed the remote and flipped on the twenty-seven inch high-definition television. I flipped through the channels until I came to the news, which, as usual, had breaking stories. This time, however, they actually caught my attention.

"The President, President Preston Wall, has gone missing. Official reports indicate that a small militia forced entry into the White House, killing many of the Secret Service and CIA agents assigned to the area. Extra forces were called in only to be decimated by large roaming beasts as shown here. Police are unsure on who arranged this daring abduction, but some sources speculate that it was the criminal mastermind known only as 'Slade.' Government Officials are not commenting. In other related news, massive earthquakes have begun occurring in parts of Siberia, the Midwest, and Australia. Residents are reporting giant crevices in the ground opening. Geologists are extremely puzzled as to this phenomenon and are rushing to analyze it in an effort to control it.

"In other news, Wayne Enterprises has fortified its security on all of its facilities across the city of Gotham and the rest of New York. Billionaire Bruce Wayne, the CEO and controlling officer of Wayne Enterprises, was unavailable for comment. This just in, a state of emergency has been called for Metropolis and surrounding areas, including neighboring Jump City. Citizens are being evacuated for fear of a city-wide coup. Our cameras have spotted small groups of heavily armed guerillas and machinery, as well as large creatures that we saw earlier at the White House. We're going to take a quick break now and when we come back: more coverage on the disappearance of the President and Congress' reaction. Stay tuned."

I slid back down the bed and rested my head on the pillow.

"I hope Robin wasn't watching that," I said as I slid under the cool sheets and fluffy floral comforter. I flipped onto my side with my back to Starfire.

"Yes," Starfire replied. "He would be most worrisome. Oh yes, friend Raven?"

"Hmm?"

Starfire innocently spouted, "I was wondering if I could share the room with you tonight. I was going to share it with Robin, but his constant obsessing keeps me from sleeping, and Beast Boy and Cyborg are sharing a room, so it is impossible for me to share with them."

Simultaneously I felt like burying my head under the pillow and groaning while at the same time melting. I tried to keep a handle on my emotions as I thought for a minute.

Ah, what the hell.

I turned over a little bit, "I guess it's all right."

Starfire beamed, "Oh thank you Raven! I appreciate your hospital-aty greatly!"

"That's hospitality, Star, and you're welcome."

I pushed my boots off and out from under the covers. They made a soft thud as they hit the carpet below. Starfire took off her boots to the same effect. I felt her slide under the covers herself. I thought about saying something – like the obvious fact that there were two beds in the room – but I rejected the idea of hurting Starfire's feelings any more. I turned out the light, and began rolling back and forth trying to get comfortable. Starfire, for once, was actually sleeping the correct position. She did smell somewhat and I really didn't care to find out what her feet smelled like either. I figured I would just have to shove her in the shower first thing in the morning. As I settled into my back position, Starfire's arm reached across me.

I don't know if it was her sleep talking or what, but she asked, "Raven, may I think of you as a sister, yes?"

I nearly fell out of the bed. I had never really regarded Starfire any more than a teammate and good friend. But, ever since we had our bodies switched and shared where we had come from, our friendship had deepened quite considerably. Needless to say, I could understand where Starfire was coming from: Blackfire was a tee-total-bitch and slut. I never had any siblings, only myself and my books. I tried to fight what many tears I kept hiding inside as I choked out, "Yes, Starfire… you may."

Her eyes remained closed but her mouth began to smile as if she was greatly comforted.

"I am glad," Starfire said.

It was my turn to wipe my eyes. I reached over and gently kissed Starfire on the forehead before tucking her in. I snuggled back into my pillow and tried to sleep as Star began to snore softly. Having her there next to me was a strange feeling… it was actually quite… nice…

I found myself lying in a flowerbed. Overhead were the rafters and torn roof of what looked like a church. The podium and pulpit confirmed my suspicions as did the numerous pews on each side. When I looked up into her eyes, I almost thought it was Starfire invading my dreams. When she came into focus, though, I immediately had a change of heart. I quickly scrambled out of the floral arrangement and onto the creaky wooden floor. My green-eyed host was admittedly very pretty: her long brown hair was done into a long braid down the back topped off with a large pink bow. She wore a pink cotton dress that conformed to her and a small red jacket.

"Who're you?" I asked.

She smiled gently at me, "I'm Aeris, Raven. Nice to meet you; we've talked before."

No shit.

She walked over to me and motioned for me to take a seat on one of the pews. We sat down together on the old, rotting bench.

"Where am I?" I asked, gazing around the abandoned sanctuary. Sun spilled through a gaping hole in the roof and splashed onto the flowerbed in front of the pulpit.

"This is… my place, an abandoned church in the Sector 5 slums," Aeris said.

I tilted my head, "Sector 5?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," she blushed. "I forgot. We're in a city called Midgar."

"Midgar, huh? Sounds inviting."

"Please, Raven, your sarcasm is not helping matters any. Do you know anything about this place? About where Slade's apprentices came from?"

I shook my head, "I've never seen them before. Are you implying they came from here? And this Shin-ra Electric Company, that's from here as well?"

Aeris became startled, "Shin-ra? Where did you find something like that?"

"There was a robot, an exact clone of Slade, complete with some fancy new armor that could withstand the Masamune blade."

Aeris began to quiver and covered her face, "No, no… this can't be real."

"What's wrong?" I asked, putting my hand on her wrist.

She looked up, extremely distraught, "Shin-ra is the company that is the controlling this planet. They are the government; they are the main providers of goods and services; they are the reason this planet is dying. They have giant reactors that suck a substance known as Mako out of the ground using these giant Mako reactors to make energy. The materia you use: it is nothing more than condensed Mako."

Aeris got up and began to pace back and forth, "Until recently, President Shin-ra was the leader of the company. Somebody killed him, though… some thought it was Sephiroth, but I sensed something different."

I asked, "Sensed? You're some kind of psychic?"

"No, no, I talked to the Planet."

"Okay… what does that mean?"

Aeris giggled for the first time since I woke up in her place.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Do you recall Slade saying something about the 'Ancients'?"

"I recall him saying something about the Cetra."

"It's the same thing. Do you remember what he said about them?"

I nodded, "To an extent, yes."

Aeris sat back down and placed her hands in her lap, "Well, what he didn't tell you was that I am the last remaining survivor of that race. After me… the Ancients, or Cetra, will exist no more. It is said that after our long, harsh journey through life, we reach the 'Promised Land,' a land of supreme happiness. I believe on your world, you'd call this place, 'Heaven'?"

I smiled, "I think so."

Aeris smiled back, "Anyway, everyone returns to the planet after they die. They roam as restless spirits, merging together to form what's called the 'Lifestream.' As a result of my race, I am able to hear, if you will, these people and the planet as a whole. I hear them abundantly here in this flower garden.

"Lately, I've heard talk of a man in an iron, bronze-colored mask. His voice frightens many and his intentions were unknown until previously. It's been said that he is the one who killed President Shin-ra. But something confused me deeply…"

"What?" I asked.

"He had a man with him I had heard about years ago… the ultimate soldier, one who was unstoppable…"

"Sephiroth?"

"Exactly," Aeris said. "But, what got me was that reports stated that Sephiroth disappeared along with another, a soldier, named Cloud. There was another, but… Slade killed him. He told me."

"Another? Who?"

Aeris lowered her gaze, "I… I'd rather not talk about it, if it's alright."

"It's fine. So, what happened?"

"They were at a small town – Cloud's home town – named Nibelheim. They were there to investigate a leak at the local Mako reactor, which was causing a lot of creatures – some of them you've already encountered – to spawn, wreaking havoc on the town. The problem was fixed, but Sephiroth and the team he took with him was never seen again. Someone said they saw a man in a dark armored uniform and a mask lingering around town after that, but he disappeared, too."

"Quick question: how do you know all this?"

Aeris shrugged, "Well, from the planet, and your friend Ariel told me about it, too. In fact, she's the one who told me about you and how to find you."

I rubbed my forehead, "I really wish she was here… I wonder how she knows all this. Alright, continue."

Aeris nodded, "After President Shin-ra was killed, Rufus, his successor, became the leader. He announced that some sort of new alliance had been formed with an unnamed person. I don't have the shadow of a doubt that it's Slade. He's supplying Slade with the sentries, robots, and beasts that you and your team have faced. The latest thing he did was move Jenova to the Shin-ra Building. Nobody knows why. My guess is to make the ultimate warrior, like Sephiroth. Slade was said to be looking for apprentices to carry on his tradition."

"Or clones," I said. "He is kind of hell-bent on spreading his ideology throughout the entire universe."

"This is not good," Aeris said. "There are so many problems that it seems overwhelming. I heard he hasn't summoned the Weapons yet, correct?"

"Correct. I have a feeling that's going to be within the next twenty-four hours, though."

"There's something else you should look out for," Aeris said, standing up again.

I looked up at her, "What?"

Aeris turned away and looked up at the sky.

She asked, "Did he say anything about Meteor?"

"He said that's the crater that Jenova was found in, why?"

She spun around, "You must quickly get the Black Materia before he gets his hands on it. The Weapons are one thing, but if he summons Meteor again, your planet will be turned to dust."

I sat back in the pew, "What are you saying? Isn't there anything we can lob at it to destroy it?"

Aeris shook her head, "I'm afraid not. Ariel said that the Meteor's magic pulls itself back together if it's ever broken apart. She wasn't very optimistic about stopping it if it ever got summoned."

"Shit," I said as I covered my face. "Ariel, where are you?"

"I believe we both know the answer," Aeris said, sitting down once more. "You must get to Wayne Enterprises, whatever that place is. But be careful… Slade is probably waiting for you."

"More than likely," I said. "He's a cruel bastard."

"Yes, yes he is."

Aeris stood up again. This time I joined her.

"One more thing," she said. "I'll look into it, but I think I know how Slade is moving people and creatures around extremely fast. Rumor has it that he actually built a machine that could do what the pages out of your magic book could do; something close to it, at least."

I nodded, "Thanks, Aeris."

She hugged me gently and kissed my forehead.

"You're a very beautiful young girl, Raven," she said. "I don't want to see your life cut short."

I blushed, "Thanks."

I looked around the church once more.

"So… how do I get out of here?"

Aeris giggled, "You'll wake up in a few minutes. This is probably the best sleep you've had in a long time. You look so cute with your young Tamaranian friend."

"Oh God… does she still have her arm around me?"

I blinked and found myself lying in the motel room bed. Starfire's arm was still around me and I was holding her hand.

Aeris' voice whispered in my ear, "I know God will watch you. Good luck!"

I squeezed Starfire's hand and fought the urge to get out of bed.

Cyborg managed to fix a somewhat edible continental breakfast before we left. I gulped down a pot of coffee and hoped that I would have enough strength to make it. We walked outside of the empty motel.

"So, how do we get there?" Beast Boy asked.

"It didn't say which Wayne Enterprise building held it," Cyborg said. "It could be any of them."

Robin walked away from the group, lowering his head and said, "I know which one."

"By all means, Robin, show us the way," Starfire encouraged.

I looked around, "We need wheels… and we need them fast, look!"

Ahead, a large group of Slade's grunts marched triumphantly down through the streets. In the midst of Metropolis behind them, billows of smoke floated upwards from downtown. Buildings were heavily damaged and worn. The sky had an overall black overcast.

Beast Boy was shocked, "Dude… what happened to Superman?"

I grabbed his shoulder, "That's a good question. But first, we've got to get the hell out of here!"

As luck would have it, a large Army Hummer rolled by us. Cyborg flagged it down.

"Yo!" he yelled. "We need a lift!"

The driver motioned for us to hop in, seeing the impending danger ahead. Some artillery gunners began to float above the crowd and fire at us from the distance. A few bullets began to pelt the ground in front of us. We quickly climbed into the large camouflaged vehicle. Cyborg stuck his arm out the window and began firing at Slade's grunts with his sonic cannon.

I reached up over the seat next to the driver's ear, "Can you get us to Gotham!"

"I'll try!" he yelled. "Hang on!"

With that, he pulled the mighty Hummer around and floored it through the side streets as we began to make our way into the heart of Metropolis. Many buildings were in flames or on the verge of collapsing. Slade had brought an entire war to the country and he was only getting started. Small groups of Slade's forces were setting up small encampments and bases of operation. They looted throughout the shambles of the city, looking for any makeshift prisoners of war. Gunfire and magic blasts occurred all around us as we ventured deep into enemy territories. Robin rode staring out the window, barely noticing the fact that we would be taken out easily at any second. Any gloomier, and I'd say I had a twin.

I took a look out the window myself. Giant banners were being hung from the tall skyscrapers, all with Slade's insignia. Like the Nazi Germany of World War II, propaganda was abundant in large quantities. Starfire turned to Robin and asked, "Will we be victorious?"

Robin, not turning from the window, simply stated, "I don't know."

"I can't believe it, I'm going to die and I haven't even kissed a girl yet," Beast Boy sighed. "Or telling Terra how I felt…"

"As far as you kissing a girl, you can start by kissing my ass, so take a number," I sternly said. "As for the rest of you, listen up: we need to fight like we've never fought before. We need to put aside any personal fears and doubts. We are going to win this and put this fucker where he belongs, got it?"

Everyone was shocked. Robin finally looked away from the window, "Raven, I… You're a better leader than I could ever be."

"Yeah," Cyborg said. "You've got balls of steel, I bet."

Starfire tapped me on the shoulder, "Raven? I have a question."

I turned to her, "What is it, Starfire?"

"This kissing of ass, is this a common practice on your planet?"

For once, ever since all Hell broke loose, everyone smiled, almost laughing.

Even me.