16 - Wonder

Starfire, as a general rule, did not give up easily. Even when things were at their most downtrodden, she knew how to pick up her feet and move forward. That was the way of her people and simply how she preferred it.

Still, fighting herself, she was starting to appreciate how annoying fighting her must be. How vexing.

But she would not stop, not now. Robin was doing as he must. He would bring their Raven home. They merely had to survive long enough to make that a reality.

"It amuses me that you continue to rise."

Seeing a sneer worthy of her sister on her own face was almost enough to make her want to stand down. However, the desire to, as Beast Boy would put it, 'punch their lights out' was infinitely more endearing.

And yet.

Her sensitive Tamaranean ears caught the tail end of a comment, words in a warped, mocking version of friend Cyborg's voice-over

"Oh, that's right, you don't have a mommy."

She saw green and red and turned mid-flight, slamming the fake Cyborg into two buildings. It still wasn't satisfying enough.

Cyborg managed to rise, staring at the holes abandoned. "Nice shot," he said.

"Thank you," she said after a moment. "My aim is good, yes? Let us help friend Beast Boy."

"Yeah, I'd really like that!" His high-pitched voice carried across the otherwise near silent Jump City. The city they would most definitely reclaim. Then they could go back to their fun lives of pizza and to be kicking villains where they belonged.

But first that apparently, meant kicking the Beast Boy's butt. That was something she knew at the very least, that Cyborg would be willing to accomplish. Her eyes flickered towards Trigon and then back towards where they had let Robin go. How far could he have gotten? Where would Raven be in the depths of that underworld? If only they could communicate all the way down there, but that would be too much of a distraction. But a sign. A signpost of hope would definitely renew their powers. Starfire was sure of it.

Something purple sparked at the edge of her strong vision.

She had to fly away to dodge a new attack but she still could see the moving figure. Herself, really, but she had to get to the fake of Cyborg. All while keeping an eye on that… that purple light.

Perhaps she could take that as hope.

Robin had wondered what kind of planet could deal with a universe of Starfires on a daily basis that wasn't invading or conquering, simply trying to coexist peacefully. He was starting to think wherever this was was a very good example.

Mainly because had just seen a girl punch a meteor and that wasn't common, especially with your bare fists.

Raven cringed beside him, but she didn't stop her, or any of it. "Can you get him from here?" he asked. Then he made a face, kicking himself. Of course she couldn't. She hadn't been willing to go against him from the beginning. He couldn't ask her that.

She, like he expected, shook her head. "It's too far. He's not really here, I think. Just a projection."

"A projection with fire demons!" Vivio hopped back beside them, blowing desperate puffs of air onto her burning knuckles. "Even with reinforcement, it still got through."

"It's demonic fire," Raven said, almost too quietly to be heard over the flames. "I'm surprised your hands are okay at all."

Vivio only grinned at her. "I'm stronger than I look!"

Robin watched Raven almost smile. But then her eyes went empty and forlorn. "I could have stopped this, couldn't I?"

"Maybe," he admitted before he could slap himself again. "But he's also your father."

"He's not a very good one," Vivio nodded.

Raven for a moment bristled. Then she laughed weakly like she was about to cry. "No, he's terrible. Parents are supposed to love and treasure their children. Not… this. Not any of this."

Robin thought of his own parents, of their terrible fall, of his mentor, his second father's inability to voice his thoughts, his heart the way he probably desperately wanted to.

He reached out and placed a hand on Raven's shoulder. "Yeah," he agreed.

She swallowed and seemed to bunch up as if bracing for something difficult. "Is everyone okay back there?"

Robin watched the flaming meteors evaporate into dust. "Well, it's our team. We're always okay."

"For now," she murmured. "For now."

A/N: Hey guys, I still exist. and so does this. I'm so sorry this has taken as long as it has. No real excuse except for the fact that I was really annoyed with this one and didn't want to post it. I eventually just decided to roll with it and hopefully the next one won't take as long so I can get back into Finish Line. Anyway, thank you so much again for waiting it means a lot!