Tenth Chapter: Innocence

They looked at each other slowly, and then Irry said, "I'm not coming. Only Compassion could help you, and she may not be able t do much. Mysty, c'mon."

Mysty rose into the air with Irry, and they flew over the treetops and out of sight. Compassion turned to me with a businesslike air. "I can help you to a point, but to get there and have you finish in the next twenty-five minutes, we have to go. Now. We're not far off, though, so just getting there won't take long."

I nodded and followed her as soon as she began walking. After only a few seconds, she stopped and pointed to another line of trees with a crystal arc in between. A marble building was hidden by the trees, but it was still massive to my eyes.

"That's it." She tried to step closer but stumbled back slightly. "Ah, just as I thought."

She turned back to me. "In there, you'll find Innocence. I cannot go with you beyond this point; only Innocence and you or another person from your reality can enter." And with that, she flew away, leaving me with only the arch and no clue what to do.

I looked back up at it cautiously, wondering what could be inside. Innocence, obviously, but what else? I hesitantly walked inside the marble building.

I found myself at the foot of a large, grand staircase. With the feeling of being watched, I climbed the steps one at a time, my feet making soft clops as I ascended.

At the top, there were two doors; one was open, and a greenhouse of sorts seemed to be inside, and the other was closed. I first went into the greenhouse and found it silent, so I went to the other door: the closed door.

The door creaked as it opened, the haunting sort of creak that reminded me that my friend could be dying, the sort of creak that reminded me that I had little time left and still didn't know what was going on with the 'real' Starfire.

I was surprised to see an ordinary room, exactly like Starfire's from the tower. The only difference was that the bed's sheets, the walls, the floor, the ceiling –all of it- was white. A pure but not blinding sort of white that could make you feel sleepy and calm.

A figure rose from the bed, a person draped in a white robe. She had white hair and silver eyes. It was quite a contrasting look, with her clothes against tan-orange skin.

"Yes?" She asked, looking at me.

Looking at me? Awake?

I laughed and smacked my head gently. Lust had just said that whole sleeping bit to annoy me, hadn't she?

I lowered my hand, but something caught it. I looked up at the Starfire standing in front of me and noticed her dress.

It was white and was laced up the front and back. The bottom was puffed out slightly, arching out and down in a steep slope. Her white gloved hands held my own, and she was gazing at my forehead, where I had hit myself.

"Does it hurt?" She asked quietly, and I smiled and shook my head.

"No, I just thought of something… stupid."

She let go of my hand and gazed out the window distantly. "That's perfect."

I stared at her. What was wrong with her? She was innocent, as her name suggested, and nothing more. So what did the others think was wrong?

Suddenly, a loud thump pulled me out of my thoughts. Innocence had collapsed on the floor for no apparent reason.

So that's what was wrong, I thought as I rushed over to see if she was alright.

She sat up and smiled genuinely. "I am fine. Simply tired, but that is nothing new. I suppose the excitement of hearing of my Robin coming to visit wore me out faster than usual."

Excitement? When was it exciting? We just said hello! And… my Robin?

"I am fine, as I said before," she said, and I took her hand and hoisted her to her feet. She glided to her bed and sat amidst the white, silk sheets and smiled. "But now I must rest."

I nodded and let go of her hand. She laid down flat on her back and looked up at the ceiling. She silently clasped her hands and set them palms-down on her stomach, looking up at the ceiling. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.