Star-Crossed Betrayal: Chapter 3

Disclaimer: DC COMICS owns "Teen Titans." I own whatever I write/create. Don't steal and don't sue.

"Normally I'd say that we've actually seen anything like this, but for once we haven't." The Teen Titans stood by and watched as Black City's police chief typed in the code for the bank vault's lock. "There's no evidence of entry. They didn't get through the door with the code, as there's no log time entered in the computer between when it was opened last night by the bank manager and now. There's no damage in the vault or in the surrounding walls. Whoever did it pretty much walked through the walls and grabbed everything."

The vault door started to swing open automatically, as it was too heavy to be opened by hand. The police chief stepped away, allowing the Titans to start their examination. Robin strode into the vault itself, looking about. It was clean, which was exactly the problem. No cash reserves were in sight, and he assumed the safe deposit boxes were empty as well. He walked out of the vault and looked at the police chief, noticing the pallor of her face.

"That's not all, is it?" he asked. She sighed and looked away with a frown.

"There was a record number of murders last night," she answered. "We're not sure of how many in total there are. My officers are still finding bodies." Robin put a hand to his chin, eyes narrowing in thought.

"This is all…convenient," he murmured. He turned to glare at the vault, thoughts fitting together in his mind. "The murders are more than enough to bring us into the city, but the robbery seems like insurance for us to be here." He went quiet, covering his mouth in concentration.

"Not seems. It was insurance." All the Titans turned, but only Starfire and Raven recognized the voice. They were in time to see a sword burst from the police chief's chest. Eyes wide and horrified, the woman stared at the blade in her body. Her legs went limp and she slid off the sword, collapsing on the ground. She looked up, seeing a gray-haired, red-eyed woman crouching down over her.

"If you were wondering, the final count with you, the five men outside, and everyone from last night comes to thirty-three." The woman's grin was the last thing the police officer saw.

"You!" Starfire shouted. "You are the demon!" Rage built in her, and the star bolts flew from her hands. Kali danced between the blasts, moving progressively closer. She abruptly vanished, and Starfire screamed when a hand grabbed her ankle. Before anyone could react, she was pulled down through the floor and vanished. Raven dropped to her knees immediately, waving a hand over the floor. The Titans leapt down into the hole created by her magic, falling into the familiar system of tunnels under the city. They landed in a central hub, four separate paths leading off in an X shape.

"Everyone take a path," Robin commanded.

"Wait," Raven said. Beast Boy and Cyborg stopped, half-turned away, to look back at Raven. "This isn't another criminal with super-powers. Kali is a demon—splitting up makes us easy targets."

"Starfire could be getting hurt while we stand here!" Robin snapped. "Kali must have gone down one of these paths, and splitting up is the quickest way to find her and Starfire!"

"We're not trying to find Kali!" Robin jerked at the anger in Raven's voice. "We're trying to save Starfire!" She lowered her voice, but it did not lose its edge. "All you're doing is refusing to listen to reason to face down what you think is the newest threat—the newest challenge. It's not the same thing. It's not a challenge or a threat—it's the safety of your friend. You can't keep looking at this the way you have been. Your stubbornness won't change that Starfire's well being needs to come first."

Robin glared at her before wheeling about. He started down a tunnel without a word. Beast Boy and Cyborg looked at Raven.

"Go after him," she murmured. They both nodded and turned, but Cyborg paused as Raven rose into the air and settled herself in a meditative position.

"What are you gonna do?" he asked.

"Find Starfire." Cyborg nodded and went after Beast Boy and Robin. Raven closed her eyes and focused.

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Robin would not admit that he heard the second meaning in Raven's words. He would not accept that he understood it completely. He stormed through the tunnel, eyes narrow. His anger dulled his senses; he did not see the fist swinging at his head until it was too late to dodge. The punch sent him flying off his feet, spinning him head over heels so he landed on his stomach in the water. He struggled for a moment, but let his eyes close.

Starfire was kissing him hard, her hand closed tight in his hair. She shoved him away, demanding that he leave her alone. He watched as she walked directly to Raven and hugged her with a bright, cheery smile. He turned away from them.

"Wow. I didn't even have to try to bring that into your head." Robin looked up. Kali stood a few feet away, watching as Starfire and Raven held each other. She turned to him and smirked. "A little frustrated that you didn't get the girl, bird boy?"

"Shut up," Robin growled.

"Want me to make her kiss you again?" Kali asked. "I can, you know. It might not be the real girl." She leaned toward him, her grin growing wider. "But it was still better than nothing, wasn't it?"

"Shut up."

"Admit it. You liked that kiss, even if it wasn't what you thought it was. It was probably some strange little method for her to learn English. Anyway, it doesn't matter. All that matters is you didn't get the girl, and you're being pissy about it. Would you like it if I got rid of your competition?"

"SHUT UP!" Robin lunged at Kali, a kick aimed for her head. She grabbed his foot and tossed him casually away. He flipped in the air and landed on his feet, immediately taking his extendable staff from his utility belt.

"Ooh, I finally got a reaction," Kali said mockingly. "I wonder what kind of reaction I'll get when I say that she's going to die slowly and painfully?" Robin leapt at her with a shout, swinging his staff at her shoulder. In a blur, she drew her sword and blocked the swing. It only took a twitch of her wrist to slice through the metal staff, and a mere thought to land a hard kick in the boy wonder's stomach. He stepped back, wincing, but stood straight quickly.

"I don't care who Starfire's with!" he shouted. "I won't let you hurt my friends!" He spun the staff and extended its other end, rushing at her again. She dodged the thrust at her chest with a sidestep, bringing her knee into his chin. He stumbled back, dizzied, and managed to avoid getting his arm lopped off. Nonetheless, he received a slash on his shoulder and a cruel smile.

"It's a noble thought," Kali chuckled. "But it doesn't mean anything." She vanished and reappeared in front of him. Robin hit the ground, unable to register anything else after being struck so hard in the temple with the pommel of her sword. "She's still going to die." Robin let his eyes close again.

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Raven sensed Starfire. She was close—in the level just below. She was lying prone and still, her eyes closed. Raven let her body fade into darkness and flew down into the large chamber, returning to flesh and putting her feet on the ground. Just before her was Starfire, and she could see the rise and fall of her chest. Alive.

Relief flooded her, and she let out a sigh. She would have started towards Starfire, but ducked instead. Kali's swing went clear over her head, and the demon woman stumbled slightly. She recovered smoothly, however, turning to face Raven with a smirk.

"You're certainly better than you look," she said. "I could have sworn that I was silent."

"You were," Raven replied. "You're just predictable."

"Pretty confident for someone who's still got to get past a demon, aren't you?" Raven took a few steps back, summoning her sword.

"I've beaten worse."

"Really. Who?" Her voice had been bored, but when she saw the stance Raven took, her eyes widened.

"Chaos Morningstar," Raven said.

"Who the hell are you to say you've even heard of Chaos?" Kali snarled, hands tensing. "You're nothing but a half-breed! I'll rip out your tongue for even saying her name!" She leapt at Raven, missing and hitting the ground when Raven dodged. With a shout, she pulled her sword out of the ground and spun about.

"Why does it matter?" Raven asked. "Why do you care?"

"The reason most people care!" Kali snapped. "She was my lover, and here you are imitating her fighting style and claiming you've beaten her!"

"I have beaten her," Raven murmured. "And I'm not imitating her style. She taught me it." Kali snorted, standing straight.

"So you 'beat' her when she 'taught' you how to fight," she said with a dismissive shrug. "How old were you when you had this dream? Six?"

"I fought her a week ago near Titan's Tower." Raven had not expected Kali to drop her sword, but she kept on her guard. When a wave of hurt and despair washed over her, she paused. Kali crouched down to pick up her sword, avoiding her eyes.

"She was in the city," she muttered. She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. When she looked at Raven, her eyes were tired and empty. "I'll cut you a deal. Tonight at midnight, you come to the mountains and bring Starfire with you. I'll be waiting there with her sister. They can settle their family issues on their own, and you and I can finish what we've started."

"And the catch?" Kali's wicked smile returned, if briefly.

"If you don't, I'll keep hunting Starfire until she's dead." She turned around and walked at the wall. She paused momentarily to say, "Midnight in the mountains. Don't be late." Then she was through the wall and gone. Raven stared at the wall where she had vanished through for a few moments, but turned her attention to Starfire.

She strode to where she lay on the ground and put a hand to Starfire's head. With that touch, she learned there were no injuries to attend to; Starfire was only unconscious. Letting her sword vanish, Raven lifted Starfire into her arms.

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"Dude, I'm telling you he's gonna be mad if you do that!"

"But we need to wake him up! You always say it would work on you!"

"That's 'cause I've actually smelled 'em once! You're not shoving your socks in Robin's nose!"

With those words, Robin knew he had regained consciousness. He groaned—loudly—and stirred.

"Dude, he's waking up!" Beast Boy said gleefully. Robin sat up in time to see the green-furred boy cram his feet back into his boots. As she stood slowly, Cyborg and Beast Boy shared a high-five.

"Where are Raven and Starfire?" Robin asked.

"Right here." They looked to see Raven walking toward them, carrying Starfire in her arms.

"Is she all right?" Robin asked. Raven nodded, stopping when she was near.

"Just knocked out." She looked away from Starfire, noticing the cut on Robin's shoulder. "Here." She shifted Starfire about until one hand was free, reaching out and healing the cut.

"Thanks," he said.

"Shouldn't we wake Star up?" Beast Boy asked nervously. "I mean, that 'Freddy' demon's still after her!"

"Starfire's safe," Raven replied, her voice growing soft. "Kali's not going to attack her anymore. She wants to fight me." She went quiet, walking toward a service ladder just down the tunnel. Unsure of how to respond, the boys followed her. Her eyes shone white, and the heavy iron manhole cover lifted away from the top of the ladder's path. She rose off the ground, disappearing into the bright light of the day. The boys climbed the ladder one by one, emerging onto an empty street.

"So Starfire's safe now?" Cyborg asked. "And you can handle someone like Kali, right?"

"Starfire still has to deal with Blackfire," Raven murmured. "Kali…I'm not sure how to fight her."

"Why not?" Beast Boy slapped his hands over his mouth, fearing an angry reaction. Raven smiled slightly, sadly.

"Because she doesn't want to fight," she answered. "She wants to lose." She shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'll take Starfire back to the tower. She needs to…we both need to rest." She started to turn away.

"Raven." She looked at Robin, waiting for him to speak again. After a moment, he said, "Be careful. We don't want you two to get hurt." He smiled, and Raven smiled as well.

"Thanks," she murmured. She lifted from the ground and flew toward Titan's Tower, Starfire in her arms. Robin watched them go and turned to Cyborg and Beast Boy.

"Let's go home," he said.

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Mount Everest was freed of the storms.

—to be continued—