Disclaimer: Nothin's changed; I still don't own the Teen Titans.
Gunsmoke and Black Roses—Chapter Seven.
It was getting late. And Jinx was troubled... very much so.
It had been a while; Sub-Zero and Smoke still weren't back yet… they'd been gone much longer than she had thought they would.
Earlier, Sub-Zero had dropped by and said something about going out with Smoke for a while… but that had been hours ago, and he wasn't back yet.
Of course, she had done as Smoke had requested and had stayed away from the infirmary… maybe, Star and Blackfire would be done in there, one of these days… but she wasn't worried about that right now. She just wondered why Zero wasn't home yet…
"What's keeping him?" She wondered to herself for the nineteenth time that night.
She wasn't sure if Sub-Zero fully realized it, but he meant the world to her. Of course, he realized that she loved him… with all her heart. But she wasn't sure he knew just how central to her life he was. There was very little else besides Zero and the Titans that mattered to her, anymore. They were IT. And Zero, no offense to the rest of her friends, was the top priority.
The idea… no, the very possibility, of his getting hurt in some way terrified her. She had come agonizingly close to losing him twice before… Needless to say, it was a feeling she didn't care to endure again.
While he had been gone, the pale skinned sorceress had been doing other things… like thinking. Thinking about what she could do to help Zero… and she came up with only one idea. She had discussed it with Robin earlier, and he'd said it was perfectly all right with him, as long as they weren't gone too long….
But she'd never get the chance to tell him if he didn't hurry up and come back. She'd gotten down a couple books and tried to pass the time that way, and after that she'd tried watching some T.V. It didn't work. So now, she lay on her stomach on the bed, gazing glumly at the slowly ticking clock on the wall. Her pinkish, feline eyes unconsciously followed the second hand as it gradually made it's rounds around the clock face. She sighed deeply.
The sorceress got up, and walked over to a small, ornate chest on her desk. It was deep, purple velvet, with ruby edges. Zero had gotten it for her about a month and a half ago, as a surprise gift. She'd loved it, and loved it still. With a trembling hand, she reached down to it, and carefully opened it up.
There, lying inside the chest, was the rose. The eternal-ice rose that Sub-Zero had given her two months ago, just before the return from Norblitz. It's brilliant sheen, and the sparkling reflections that it held seemed to be even more beautiful than the real-life objects they were reflecting.
The witch reached down and touched it gently… and shivered slightly at it's coldness… it was amazing to her, that after all this time in a heated room, and inside a chest… it was still frozen, still solid, still cold. But despite it's coldness, it's beauty more than made up for it. She still had no idea how he'd gotten it, but she really didn't care…
She sat down and stared at it. It was a comforting sight right now, because it reminded her of Sub-Zero. She knew that her worries were probably unfounded, and that Zero was probably just fine… but she couldn't help it. She had to be worried about him.
"Sub-Zero… where are you….?" Jinx sighed sadly and fearfully, running a slightly shaky hand through her bubble-gum pink hair.
She went back to the bed, laid back down, and turned her slender form over onto it's side, and tried to get some rest…
Meanwhile…
Robin sat in the living room, lying on the couch. He, like Jinx, had been told by Smoke to stay away from the infirmary. But he, also like Jinx, was worried… he was worried about Starfire.
"… This is taking too long…" he murmured. "… What if Blackfire went berserk and hurt her again?" He demanded to himself. If he ever let any permanent harm come to Star… he didn't know how he'd ever live with it. And if Blackfire did attack her… he doubted he could run from here to the infirmary fast enough to help.
He, personally, didn't trust Blackfire as far as he could throw her… well, he could actually throw her pretty far if he ever got his hands on her; he was stronger than he looked… but you get what I'm saying.
Robin pulled a birdarang out of his belt, and began twirling it absent-mindedly between his fingers. He really didn't even realize he was doing it… it was just that whenever Robin was nervous, he had trouble sitting still. So, he had to do something…
He was still kicking himself mentally for ever agreeing to take Blackfire back to the Tower… but that couldn't be helped. After all, Star had asked him, and he had found out that it was becoming increasingly difficult to say no to Starfire…
"For Smoke's sake… Star had better not get hurt." Robin snapped grimly.
But, for right now… he decided to go against his better judgment and trust the gunman. Speaking of which… where WAS he, anyway? He'd left much, much earlier with Zero, to go 'out'. And he wasn't back yet.
And how had he convinced Zero to stay out this late? Sub-Zero should know better than anyone how upset Jinx could get…
But this wasn't really important. The only thought on the Boy Wonder's mind right now was Starfire.
Robin sighed softly and did the only thing he could: he kept waiting.
While all this was going on, Raven was in her room, feeling just as uneasy as the other two… but for reasons even she didn't know.
She could not shake the feeling that something big was about to happen… something drastic and unexpected. Not necessarily a bad thing, but… she couldn't be sure.
She didn't feel like meditating, but she couldn't focus enough to read, either. She was now pacing around her room anxiously. She didn't know how she knew, but… something was definitely going to happen… tonight. She couldn't shake the idea that these feelings were some sort of premonition. She sat down and sighed worriedly, deciding to try to meditate one more time….
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath…Me…Metrionath…Z-Zinthios…er, Zin…"
She couldn't do it… she just wasn't focused enough, and that scared her. Normally, she was the focused one around. Even when everyone else had completely lost their head, Raven had usually remained somewhat calm. But she was no longer in control like that… she was genuinely afraid.
Raven sat down at her mirror and took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.
Something was… wrong. She could feel it. Well, maybe it wasn't wrong… maybe, out-of-the-ordinary was a better description.
Deciding that all she could do is sit and wait, she went over to her bed and sat down Indian-style.
"Whatever is going on… I'm going to be ready for it." She promised herself softly.
Someone else in the Tower was having a strange night, as well.
Cyborg was in the garage with the T-Car, and had been making some tune-ups. But for some reason, he couldn't keep his concentration. Afraid that he was going to hurt either himself, or the T-Car, he decided to call it a night and head on up to his room. On the way there, Titan's Tower seemed… unusually quiet, tonight.
Opening the door to his room, Cy went over to a small bookcase, and pulled out a small picture album. He thumbed through the pages…
There was one of him attempting to scrawl out a word in Tamaranean on a chalkboard during one of Star's Tamaranean lessons… obviously, he just ended up making her laugh out loud with his pitiful attempt. But hey, at least he'd made her laugh.
Another photo displayed Cyborg standing triumphantly beside the T.V., with a new high score for a game flashing on the screen… while Beast Boy was standing nearby, sulking. Cy chuckled a bit, and kept turning the pages…
Ahh… here was one he remembered. The one of him and Jinx while he had been posing as 'Stone', in the H.I.V.E. Academy. They were at the annual dance, and she'd actually asked him to go. He was pretty reluctant at first, but she practically forced him at the time… the main reason that the smile on Stone's face was so strained and hesitant. Actually, he had to admit… she had been nice to him, and they were really good friends now… but he'd never really loved her, so to speak. It was just as well, because he knew she now had someone even better… Sub-Zero.
The knight's name caused Cy to gulp slightly… this was one picture; he hoped Zero would never find out about. Zero was a calm guy, normally…. But Cy knew better than anybody what happens when something really rubs him the wrong way…
Turning the page, he stopped short at the next section. It was comprised entirely of pictures B. Boy had allowed him to use in his scrapbook. And they had been taken at the carnival. During B.B.'s date with….
…Her.
Terra.
Cyborg groaned softly and sadly as he remembered her once again. Not that he'd forgotten her, par say…. But he just tried not to dwell on her.
He wondered if Beast Boy thought about her much. Cyborg, being one of B.B.'s closest friends, despite their bickering… personally remembered how torn up he had been over her betrayal.
Cyborg had hated her once… with a passion, mainly because of how much she'd hurt Beast Boy. But after the volcano incident, the battle with Slade… he had discovered he couldn't hate her. Not after the sacrifice she'd made… and it made him wonder if she had really been so bad after all…
Beast Boy was as cheerful, boisterous, and flamboyant as ever. He never really showed the hurt he felt, if he felt it… Cy couldn't be sure. But it was just a feeling that he had, that B. Boy was keeping grief away inside… and that made Cy feel concerned. A lot.
Back with Sub-Zero and Smoke…"…My God, how much farther is it?" Smoke groaned, reaching down to rub his tired legs.
"Not much… see?" Sub-Zero motioned to the distance, where Titan's Tower loomed up in front of them. "We should be there in a few minutes."
"A-are you s-sure about this?" Terra asked softly. She had already explained to them that she knew the Titans… but she hadn't told them how she knew them. She hadn't told them that because of her, they were almost killed by Slade.
"Positive… you said you've been acquainted with them, right?" Sub-Zero asked.
"Well… yes…" she started nervously. "But that's the point… I don't think they'd be glad to see me again."
"Huh? Why's that?" Smoke turned his head back and asked interestedly.
"I…" there was no time for Terra to explain. So she decided to dodge the subject again. "I… would… rather not talk about it."
Smoke started to ask more questions, but Zero nudged him and shook his head. "It's her business… if she'd rather not talk about it, don't push her." He whispered to his friend.
"Sorry…" Smoke responded, also in a whisper. "… Just curious."
Sub-Zero nodded and motioned for them to keep walking. "We should hurry." He said, again speaking in a normal tone. "If I don't get back soon, Jinx is gonna kill me…"
"How long have you guys known the Titans?" Terra asked. She didn't remember them from… last time.
"Oh, a little more than a couple months…" Zero said slowly.
"About a week and a half." Smoke yawned with a shrug.
"And who's Jinx…?" Terra persisted. She didn't remember any 'Jinx', either.
"My Girlfriend." "His Girlfriend." Zero and Smoke spoke simultaneously.
"…I see… I guess." Terra said hesitantly.
They kept walking a couple more minutes, and finally… they were at the front door of the Tower. Sub-Zero raised a hand, and started to ring the bell, when he saw Terra flinch, as though scared.
"Huh? You all right?" The knight asked, concern showing in his voice.
"I'm… fine, I guess…"
Zero shrugged and pushed the bell button, and sure enough, the reverberating echoes of the bell could be heard on the other side of the door.
After a minute of waiting, the sound of footsteps could be heard… small, quick footsteps. Then, Beast Boy's voice…
"Coming!"
There was the sound of someone fumbling with the locking mechanisms on the doorway, and then the broad double-doors swung open with Beast Boy standing there. He grinned upon seeing his friends standing there.
"It's about time! I thought you guys were gone on a road trip, or somethi—"
Beast Boy froze at the sight of a small, slender shape that was kind of huddled behind Zero and Smoke.
"Uhh… who's your friend, there?" He asked softly. There was something… alarmingly familiar about that shape, but… he couldn't quite…
"Well, we, uh….. We'll explain everything in a few minutes, but to make a long story short: We had some unexpected trouble from the military… wound up falling in a cave… and found this chick." Smoke said.
"Who… who is…it?" Beast Boy persisted.
"… Beast Boy?" a small, hesitant voice issued from behind Sub-Zero's back.
As if he had been punched in the mouth, Beast Boy's green eyes went as wide as CD's, and he staggered backward… he would know that voice anywhere! But… it couldn't be…. She was….
"Well… she says she's met you guys before." Sub-Zero stated, a little surprised by the changeling's startled reaction. "So, I'll just let her introduce herself…"
Without warning, Zero moved to the side, revealing his and Smoke's new acquaintance fully for the first time.
There stood none other than Terra, blonde hair falling around her head, which she'd tilted downward in order to stare at the ground… she couldn't bear to make eye contact… her heart pounded nervously in her chest as she prayed he wouldn't immediately attack her right then and there, dismissing her as a traitor, a turncoat, a weasel, a lying little bi—
Her prayers and hopes were interrupted by Beast Boy's soft, hoarse, disbelieving whisper…
"T—Terra….? No… You can't be… she's ….." he couldn't seem to get his thoughts in order, and looked as though he was about to pass out… "You're…. Alive!"
Terra flinched… she couldn't decide if he meant, "Thank God, she's alive!", or "Damn! She's alive…"
She got her answer… in the form of a pair of arms throwing themselves around her tightly. Stunned, her eyes blinked open and she looked at him. He was shaking violently, and tears were freely running down his eyes… not sad tears… tears of joy. Relief began to flood through her mind, but…. She had to be sure…
"Beast Boy… you don't… you don't… hate me?" She asked in a barely audible whisper… her blue eyes silently pleading for him to answer No….
He stopped abruptly and looked incredulously at her.
"My God, Terra, you're alive, and we're together again! And that's the only thing you can ask me?" He said, almost letting out a weak laugh. "Terra… I… I couldn't hate you even if I wanted to!" he all but yelled at her, grasping her in a tight hug again.
Her heart and mind finally released from the terrible fear and nervousness she'd felt since she was freed, her eyes rapidly began to tear up as well… and within a minute, they were both crying happily on each other's shoulder.
… Meanwhile, Sub-Zero and Smoke stood there with anime-style sweat drops…
"Uh… Pal… I ain't sure, but… I think maybe we missed something…" Smoke muttered, turning a baffled expression towards the knight.
Sub-Zero turned his equally puzzled face to the gunner and nodded. "I concur 100 percent…" he sighed.
Beast Boy looked up from his and Terra's embrace, smiling widely.
"Guys… I don't know… how to thank you, but…. I just want to know… how? How did you get her out of that statue?"
"Err… well… Let's just say, it was just a lucky toss." Smoke said sheepishly.
"Yes… a very lucky one." Zero agreed.
Beast Boy started to ask another question, but was interrupted by footsteps coming down from the stairs…
"Hey! What's going on down here?" Robin asked loudly. "You guys finally got back… what took you so lo—"
Robin froze, and stared at Terra. A second later, Cyborg came down after him, and ended up walking into his back.
"Oof! Robin, what's the deal? You look like you saw a gho—"
He stopped dead mid-sentence as well, staring at Terra with the same expression.
There was a moment of dead, awkward silence…
"Uhh…. Surprise?" Smoke said in an attempt to lighten up the situation.
"This…… isn't possible…" Robin managed to stammer after a minute. He was looking at a person that should, for all intents and purposes, be dead… or might as well have been.
"… Terra? Is that… You?" Cyborg asked, voice ringing with disbelief.
For the first time since she'd been freed from her stone prison, Terra began to feel a bit of confidence.
"The one and only." She answered with a light smile.
"Isn't it great?" Beast Boy asked excitedly, nearly jumping up in down in elation. "Guys, she's free! And it's all thanks to Sub-Zero and Smoke!"
Two pairs of stunned eyes turned towards the Knight and the Gunman, both of whom were fidgeting nervously.
"Uhh… Are we in trouble?" Smoke asked nervously.
Robin finally found his voice. "Trouble? Are you insane? We've been trying to figure out a way to get Terra out of that stone since she was first trapped there! Do you guys realize you just pulled off a miracle?"
"Yeah! Bro, we ought to be thankin' you!" Cy interjected. "Terra is our friend."
Zero and Smoke both sighed in relief.
"That's good. We just weren't expecting such a… reaction." Zero laughed, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah… and of course, that was SO my plan the whole time! I meant to throw the gun at that statue!" Smoke said.
Sub-Zero looked incredulously over at him. "The Hell you did! How would you have possibly known she was in there?"
"Uhh…. Well…. I, um…."
"… I'm waiting…"
Robin interrupted their little argument.
"Guys, it doesn't matter if you meant to do it, or not. What does matter is that our friend's free again!"
Sub-Zero looked at Terra with an interested expression. "Y'know, I never asked you… how on Earth did you wind up inside a stone statue, anyway?"
Terra's smile vanished, and she looked down at the ground. "… It's a long story."
"Oh God… I hope not as long as Zero's story about how he got that stupid, glow-in-the-dark medallion! Heh… Undead Dragon, my ass!"
"It's true! You can ask Robin and Cyborg, they were there!"
"Yeah… and I guess you weren't makin' up that part about the ship, either!"
"Hell no! I'll show my ship to you right now, if you want! It's right outside beneath the cliff!"
Seeing that this was about to get violent, Robin broke in.
"Yeah, Smoke, It's true. He did fight a giant, undead dragon, and he does have a ship… but that's not important! We were talking about Terra, remember?"
"Err… If you guys say so…" Smoke said with a shrug.
"What in the world is happening down here?" Snapped an irritated, soft voice coming down the stairs. "Can't a person meditate in peace? I've been trying now for—"
It was Raven. And when she came sufficiently down the staircase to see Terra standing there alive and well, she frozem there wide-eyed, just like Robin and Cy had.
"…Sweet Azarath… I-I-Imp-possible…!" he moaned softly, and then she fell to the floor with a thunk… apparently, she'd fainted.
Everyone stood staring for a minute.
"… Well, THAT was unexpected." Zero said with raised eyebrows.
"Yeah… I've never seen Raven so much as look startled before, much less faint!" Smoke added.
"I know… but we should try to wake her up…" Cy said with concern.
"Right." Robin nodded. "Cy, put her on the couch… Sub-Zero, go get some ice water… Beast Boy, Go get Jinx… Smoke, you try and wake up Raven."
"Got it." Cyborg said. "But… what are you gonna do?"
"I… I'm going to go get Starfire. She and her sister have been in there long enough." He said slowly. "And besides... I think she'd want to know about this."
In the Infirmary…
"I never knew… I never realized that you were actually frightened of me!" Star exclaimed, looking teary-eyed.
"Yeah, well… now you know why I never said anything to you." Blackfire said softly and sullenly.
"…But it still does not make sense. I never meant for you to be frightened of me! I never wanted that!"
"I know. But considering you've been able to fly since birth, whereas I was the little, black-haired, grounded abomination… could you blame me?"
Starfire sniffled a little bit. She had always known that her sister had been the only Tamaranean she ever knew of that had been born without the ability of flight. She'd had to learn to do that as she got older; most Tamaraneans didn't have to think about it… they just did it. And that made Blackfire seem even stranger to them, thus they treated her even more like a monster.
What Star had never realized was how much of an effect this had on her self-esteem at the time. Blackfire hadn't always been as… ah, bold, shall we say…as she was now. When she'd been younger, she'd actually always been rather timid. But Starfire, naïve as she was, had always assumed this was merely just due to shyness. Now, she saw that it wasn't that simple.
"Sister… do you still hate me?" Starfire asked hesitantly.
Blackfire was silent…
Her mind raged furiously. But her heart, on the other hand… was hurting. She wanted to forgiver her sister, and beg for her forgiveness in return. She wanted to get down on her knees and beg. But her selfish pride simply wouldn't allow her.
Even her pride, however, couldn't nullify the intense grief and regret she was feeling right now… had she been in Star's position, she would've blasted her with so many energy bolts, she'd look like a pile of burnt charcoal. And she didn't understand why Starfire didn't do the same… why did she want to help her? And all Blackfire had ever done was hurt her…
As her mind was filled with these angsty thoughts, she found moisture suddenly forming from the corners of her bluish-gray eyes… she fought fiercely to try and repress them, to keep them back, to keep all the pain she felt inside… just as she'd always done. But she could not.
Within another minute, tears were pouring unbidden from her eyes, and she couldn't stop the soft gasps and sobs that were coming out of her mouth.
"Oh, Sister… I have upset you again… I am sorry." Starfire apologized softly, with guilt clouding her voice. But it only hurt Blackfire worse that she, of all people, could be feeling guilty right now. Blackfire was the one who should be feeling guilty, and she knew it.
"…Starfire… S-sorry… S-so s-s-sorry…" Blackfire managed to choke out as the tears came faster and harder than before. She curled up on her cot and pressed her face to her knees.
Surprised, Starfire's emerald eyes widened. "…What?" She certainly hadn't expected an apology.
"I've…n-never done anything except hurt you… and you still treat me like… like… like a sister." She sobbed.
"But Blackfire, you… you are my sister. Whether you realized it or not..." Star said, shaking her head. "Being one's sibling is not something that can be changed… whether one likes it or not, their sibling will always be their sibling."
Blackfire was completely unable to respond to this. She just sobbed and curled herself up even tighter. She remained that way for a moment, but flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She looked up with watery eyes and a tear-streaked face, and saw Starfire sitting on the cot next to her.
"Sister… my sister… please do not weep. We should be happy!"
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Blackfire managed to reduce her crying-fit to sniffles.
Before she could say anything in response, the door to the infirmary opened up.
"Star! You still in here?" Robin called, walking in. "Come out here, quick! You'll never believe who—"
Robin stopped silent when he saw Starfire and Blackfire sitting right next to each other, Star's arm draped over her misty-eyed sister's shoulder.
"Uh… Who's here." Robin finished slowly. 'Wow… I guess it went better than I thought!' Robin thought mentally.
"Have we a visitor?" Starfire asked him curiously.
The Boy Wonder just smiled. "Star… You have no idea."
In The Living Room…
Sub-Zero handed Smoke a glass of ice water, which he immediately gave to the still wide-eyed Raven. Thankfully, the gunner had managed to wake her up… although not in the way Zero would have preferred. He'd tossed some of the ice water on her…
"I just can't believe it…" Raven murmured softly. "It doesn't seem possible."
"Yeah well…" Zero said. "With guys like us, I guess nothing's impossible."
They sat awaiting the others… until a cry rang out…
"Zero! You're home!"
Zero whipped his head around just in time to see a purple-pink-and-gray blur come bolting down the stairs and straight into him, knocking the wind out of him.
"Urk! Uhh… Hey, Jinx… Sorry I'm so late… but… we had… some trouble." He managed to get out over her tight hug.
"Trouble…?" she asked softly, loosening up a little. Her cat eyes went wide in concern. "What kind of trouble? Oh, Zero are you all right?"
"I'm just fine darling, but… Just wait 'til Star and Blackfire get here, then we'll explain everything…"
A moment later, Beast Boy came running down the stairs, panting.
"Geeze! Jinx, slow down! I know you're glad Zero's back, but…"
The green shape shifter turned his face to his friends and smiled. "Well… when am I gonna find out how you freed Terra?"
"Just as soon as Star and her Sister come back with Robin." Cy said.
As he said this, Jinx turned to the couch were Raven was sitting with Smoke. And there nearby stood a girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes…
"Sub-Zero…" Jinx said slowly. "… Who is she?"
"Well, she's…"
"We're here." Robin said walking down the steps. Starfire floated down after him, with Blackfire floating in just after Star, looking rather nervous.
"Robin… who is it that you wanted me to see?" Star asked uncertainly.
Smirking, the Boy Wonder just pointed down to Terra, who waved nervously up at the Tamaranean.
"Hi Star… remember me?" She asked playfully.
Star hovered in place for a moment, before letting out an ecstatic squeal that caused everyone in the room to flinch.
"TERRA! You… You are…"
"…Alive? Yeah, I've had a lot of people tell me that lately." She chuckled.
Starfire soared down from the top of the staircase and hugged Terra around the neck.
"Oh, X'hal… how is it that you have returned to us?" Star asked breathlessly.
Terra smiled and pointed Towards Sub-Zero and Smoke.
"Look, if everybody will just settle down…" Zero requested in exasperation. "We'll tell the whole story…"
Forty-Five Minutes After That…"And that… is what happened." Zero finished.
"Yep… " Smoke added with a yawn.
Everybody was staring at them.
"So… you mean that by pure chance, you just happened to run outside the city and then fight the soldiers right above where Terra's Cave was?" Raven asked skeptically. "And that, in a further display of dumb luck, you caused the ground to cave in, and that you accidentally hit Terra and melted the stone?"
"That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it." Smoke said firmly.
"Yeah… as weird as this all sounds, I swear it's true." Zero added.
Robin shook his head. "No-one's doubting you… it just seems to good to be true."
"Well… I guess luck was just on our side." Zero chuckled, giving Jinx a playful glance. She blushed.
"Wait… are you saying… she was trapped inside a stone statue?" Jinx asked slowly. "But… how?"
"That… we don't know." Smoke said.
"We do…" Robin said softly. "And I guess to clear things up for Zero, Smoke, Jinx, and… Blackfire… We'd better explain."
Terra flinched slightly. She didn't care to hear this story again, having experienced it firsthand… but Beast Boy gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, and she felt some of her nervousness go.
ANOTHER Forty-Five Minutes Later…
"Are you serious? Slade was responsible for all this?" Zero demanded. He remembered the masked villain all too well… he had almost destroyed his homeland. For that, he was unforgivable.
"Yeah…" B.B. said grimly.
"Well… I guess that all that cleared things up." Cy said.
Smoke cleared his throat, and everybody looked over.
"Hey, uh… I hate to sound ignorant, but… who the Hell's Slade?"
"That's a good question… who IS Slade?" Blackfire agreed.
Sub-Zero groaned and slapped himself in the forehead.
"Robin…?" Zero began. "You wanna explain or should I?"
"I guess I'll do it…" Robin sighed.
Yet Another Five Minutes Later…
"Oh… I get it. Evil dumb-ass in a mask. Sounds simple enough." Smoke said with a nod. Blackfire nodded, too.
"Okay, look… I know it'd be nice for you guys to stay up and reminisce for a while, but…" Sub-Zero looked up at the clock on the wall, which read 1:47 in the morning. "… It's late… and I'm tired. The day has not been kind…"
"You ain't kiddin'…." Smoke agreed with a groan, rubbing his sore legs.
"I guess we should probably call it a night." Robin said with a yawn.
"But… where is Terra gonna sleep?" Cyborg asked. "Smoke's already got the couch…"
The geomancer was about to insist she could just sleep on the floor somewhere, but Beast Boy spoke up first.
"She can stay in my room." He insisted.
Everyone looked at him strangely.
"Err… I can sleep on the floor. I can turn into a dog, remember?" he elaborated.
"And my sister can use my bed." Star offered. Blackfire looked at her strangely.
"But… I can just sleep in the infir—" She started.
"No." Star shook her head firmly. "You have spent enough time in that little cot already. You will use my bed tonight." She insisted.
"Well… if that settles everything… G'night guys." Zero said, walking up to his room. But Smoke got him by the arm and stopped him.
"Shh… wait 'till they leave…" he whispered to Zero. "I need to talk to you."
Zero was puzzled, but agreed anyway.
As the others said their 'Good-Nights' and filed up the staircase, Smoke and Zero waited downstairs…
After they were all gone and out of earshot, Smoke turned to Sub-Zero.
"Listen, Pal… can you… keep a secret?" Smoke asked hesitantly.
"Of course." Zero replied without any hesitation.
"… I'm going out there again." Smoke said suddenly, pointing to the door.
"What? But why?"
A malicious glint appeared in the young gun's eyes…
"Because… those military pricks ain't gonna let me be unless I send 'em a message."
"Uhh… message?" Zero asked nervously.
"I'm going back to the base, Zero." Smoke stated flatly. "And… I'm wiping it off the face of this city."
"You're going back to the base? Alone? No, you can't! That's insane!"
"Look, Zero… I don't know how else to explain it. This is something I have to do… and I have to do it alone."
Sub-Zero still looked resistant.
"Look, I made you a promise once…" The gunner said seriously, referring to that night up on the Tower. "I promised that I wouldn't tell a soul what you told me. Now…" He looked at Zero with a firm, yet pleading expression. "… Can you do the same for me?"
Zero's red eyes shut, and he let out a heavy sigh.
"I… I can't pretend that I approve of this… but yes, you have my word. I won't tell."
"Great! Thanks buddy… this means a lot."
Smoke began to walk out the door, but Zero stopped him one, last time.
"Smoke…" he eyed his friend solemnly. "… Be careful."
"Don't worry about me, Freezerhead." He said jokingly. "I'll be fine."
And with that, Smoke ran back out the door into the night…
"God… I hope he doesn't do anything stupid…" the knight muttered.
And with that, the exhausted Sub-Zero walked quietly up to his room… and went to bed.
That's the End… for now. How was it? Good, Bad, So-So?
Read and Review… pretty please?
Anyway, a small preview for next chapter: Smoke gets himself a new ride…
Anyway, Good Bye! Farewell! Sayonara! Adieu! Au Revoir! Adios! Hasta La Vista! Later, Dude! Etc., Etc., Etc…
The Mad Phantom…
