A/N: Standard Disclaimers Apply
A/N: Hey, wasn't this about St. Valentine's Day poetry?
Chapter 6: Tone
Raven saw stars flickering in her peripheral vision. Her ashen skin was turning blue as the Red X's fist, painfully crushed against her voice box, began to squeeze off her air supply. His wiry arm coiled around her waist, and the chill of his X-shaped blade froze the flesh along her jaw. X began to retreat slowly, pulling the disoriented witch with him.
Robin still crouched low, half hidden in the shadows. He wrapped his cape around him, covering his bright colors. He saw the panic written on Raven's face.
"There's nothing here for you, X," Robin said.
"That's where you're so dead wrong, bird boy," X responded. He leaned in and pressed against Raven's cheek. Robin was sure, that if X could, the villain would have rudely licked the pale girl. Raven snarled in disgust.
"And blah, blah, blah…" X taunted, "Yeah, I know, 'The other Titans are on their way; you don't have a chance.' Yawn." X's mechanically altered voice darkened menacingly, "They're going to have their own problems."
Robin looked skyward and saw a dark silhouette take shape over Starfire. He made out its humanoid shape just as it opened up and tackled the unsuspecting Tamaranian. The young hero watched as the creature known only as Cinderblock crashed to the ground, pinning Star under him. The trellis shook viciously nearly throwing Robin, Red X, and Raven off.
"Star!" Beast Boy shouted as he switched out of his falcon form. The diminutive Titan rolled and became a giant Tyrannosaur and attacked Cinderblock. The concrete monster wrapped his powerful arms around the dinosaur's neck and wrenched. Beast Boy went small, spider small, and scurried across the beast.
Robin led his team into a trap. He glanced from Beast Boy to Raven to the X and down to the unconscious Starfire.
"Oh I wouldn't worry about your precious little Starfire," another voice said coldly. Robin looked over the X only to see the icy beauty of Blackfire. Her black hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes glowed purple. "After all, she's got her big sister to look after her."
"I'm sure she could do without your attention, Kommie," Robin snarled.
"My name is NOT Kommie!" Blackfire bellowed.
Red X glanced upward.
Robin smirked as he tossed four strobe flares into the air. They ignited in bright, blinding, random flashes. He leapt for the X, pulling his hand away from Raven's throat and landing a furious punch. The ashen-skinned girl fell to the ground in a gasping heap. Red X went flying back, but Robin barely stopped him from going over the catwalk. The hero punched the X in the solar plexus before leaping on the railing and using it as a springboard. He tackled the disoriented villainess and planted her, face first, on the rusty metal.
The Teen Wonder spun around, scooping up Raven in his strong arms, and ran for the railing. He leapt into the night as the last of the flares died out, pulled his grapple gun from his belt and fired the line across the abandoned factory. Robin and Raven swung to the oily floor, but he failed to see the grinning cat mask higher in the rafters.
A young woman with a lean, dancers build and long black hair, crouched. She pulled back the sleeve of her green kimono revealing a deadly claw like punch dagger. The cat-masked woman nonchalantly snipped the rescue line.
Robin fell. He twisted around Raven, and took the brunt of the fall, keeping his body between hers and the hard floor. Raven rolled limply, both from being blinded by the flares and still taking in precious breath. She was all but helpless as the green clad woman landed gracefully by them.
"Cheshire," Raven hacked, only to be greeted by the assassin's boot and darkness.
Blackfire got up slowly. Her eyes burned with rage as she wiped the mire from her face. She flew overhead and watched as Cheshire knocked out Robin as well. Cinderblock was having his problems with the changeling, until Beast Boy doubled over. He curled into a fetal position, his hands clutching his ears.
Out of the shadows a tall, thin man wearing purple robes appeared. The unsettling transparent glass cranium atop his head accentuated his already gaunt features. His brain was clearly visible and it glowed a sickly purple.
"I have activated the pain function in the changeling's brain," he said, his voice as brittle and cold as ice.
Starfire felt as if a rib had snapped. A dark ichor trailed from her lips, and her mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood. Breathing hurt. Moving hurt. But the heroine knew she was in trouble. She pulled herself slowly out of the crater and looked up. Her green eyes widened with despair.
Blackfire hovered haughtily before her.
"Hello, little sister."