First of all, this is not a follow up to the one-shot. This is merely a rewrite of the original, which was written almost a year ago and I found an opportunity to experiment about how much my writing had improved.
Now, if you can withstand more of the blood and insanity in much more stomach-turning detail, why, without further ado, read on.
:iIi:
"Titans, GO!"
With a swift movement of his hand, Robin took out a bird-a-rang from his belt and hurled it towards one of the would-be thieves. It was a simple, commonplace robbery, the third one they had the displeasure of dealing with for the day. It was beginning to get so tiresome the Titans were almost wishing for something more challenging. Well, almost.
In less than three minutes it was over. The newly-proven inexperienced gang was composed of at least thirteen members, but they had no chance against the Batman's protégé, an android-like hybrid with a vast array of weapons, an alien maiden with enough strength to carry the Earth, a changeling that can morph into the most vicious creatures the world has ever seen, and the dark daughter of evil incarnate.
"Woohoo! Record time!" Beastboy hi-fived with Cyborg to celebrate the easy triumph. "Two minutes and thirty-six seconds!"
"No time for a victory dance, Beastboy. You and Cyborg go help the girls clean up. I'll help the police arrange the charges." Robin commanded, a smirk marring his serious composure. Cyborg glared at him and Beastboy stuck out his tongue in mock rebellion, but then proceeded to the task.
Starfire had been busy vaporizing the large, jagged pieces of broken glass with her laser eye beams, to lessen the trouble of having to sweep the million of them up. She was almost done when she saw a glint of metal in her peripheral vision, among the shattered mirrors. She bent down slowly, almost hesitantly, as if she was about to examine a monster emerging from the depths of the ocean. Brushing away some powdery debris from the pile, shining black metal revealed itself to her curious eyes. Her hands closed over the sinister-looking object tentatively, as if trying to memorize the cold feel of it beneath her skin. It was what the earthlings called a 'gun,' as she had found out from watching too much of Robin's gung-ho action movies. However, no matter what it was called, her Tamaran-raised mind still couldn't comprehend the magnitude of it.
She approached Robin, who was talking with a police officer, a skip brightening each of her steps.
"So, Lieutenant, it's settled. Armed assault, attempted robbery, property damage…" He was busy dictating the incriminations of the gang while another cop was stating the rights of the criminals not too far away when Starfire interrupted him.
"Robin, do you know--"
Her leader held up a hand, cutting her off abruptly. "Not now, Star. We'll deal with… whatever it is later."
Her face fell disconcertingly. "Oh. Very well then, friend Robin. I shall be patient with my inquiry until you are ready to explain."
Only a few minutes later, they were all now riding the T-car on the way home to the Tower
"Oh yeah, Starfire? What was it you wanted to tell me?" Robin suddenly asked, turning his head to glance at her from the passenger seat.
For a brief instant, Starfire was confused. Then her green eyes brightened with understanding.
"Oh. It is, what you say, "nothing at all," Robin. Thank you for remembering."
"Okay."
Starfire felt a pang of guilt for lying to her best friend, but she contemplated that it would be better to leave her revelation as a surprise for later.
:iIi:
"Hey, Star! Wanna play Gamestation with me? I'm on level 23, but I'll let you catch up. Come on, whaddya say?" Beastboy rambled, winking at her, ready to hand her a joystick
She beamed at him. "Maybe another time, friend Beastboy. As of the moment, I have something oh-so wondrous to show you."
She brought out the gun from behind her, making the changeling's eyes widen with astonishment.
"Starfire, where did you get that?" His voice quivered a little… in fear, perhaps?
"I have found it at the crime scene this morning, friend. Is it not so amazing?" She gushed.
She absently inserted her index finger through the trigger-hole and clicked back the safety, pointing it straight at Beastboy. Not that she had any idea what she was doing.
"Starfire… what are you…?" He was beginning to back away from her, panic evident in his actions. With every step backwards Starfire followed after him, and when he finally stumbled she was standing, hovering over him. He could even see into the black infinite spaces of the barrels at this angle. By now, he was frozen in place, unable to move his seemingly-paralyzed limbs.
"I have seen how the humans in the television use this fascinating device. If I am not mistaken, I shall incline force on this miniature lever and…"
"Star, DON'T…!"
The scream and the shot that followed could have been loud enough to reach every nook and corner of the Tower, but was drowned out by the booming of the Gamestation sound effects.
She went closer to her fallen friend, prodding the motionless, spread-eagled form. The bullet hit him square in the stomach, his mouth was agape, eyes opened wide in shock.
"What is wrong with you, my friend Beastboy?" Her hand touched the wound, where blood was pumping out generously.
"Why have you spread ketchup all over yourself, friend?"
Starfire liked ketchup. Not as wonderful-tasting as mustard, but wonderful nonetheless. Most of the time, when she found herself with nothing to do, she took out the bottles of ketchup that came in every color and flavor out and dump it on any available meal. Curious, she brought her finger to her mouth. The moment she tasted the blood, she doubled over in giddiness.
"Oh! I understand now! I have put Beastboy to sleep." The revelation fell on her. "His eyes and mouth are open because he is liking his dream!"
She stood up, walking to the door. "You can be grateful to me shortly, friend Beastboy. Now, I shall let my other friends experience this joy of such peaceful slumber as well."
Helpless black eyes traced after her, unable to warn her next unsuspecting victims.
:iIi:
Starfire didn't know exactly what she had done, just that it had been so fulfilling, but since it was accomplished with a mechanical device, maybe she should go to her friend Cyborg.
Cyborg hummed a tune as he lay under the T-car, the tolling of his tinkering gears engulfing the entire space of the garage.
"Greetings, friend Cyborg! I have something I believe is worthy of your time."
Cyborg got up from under the car, smiling gaily.
"What is it, Starfire?" His smile faded when he saw what she held in her hands, replaced by the open-mouthed expression that suggested he was about to call out a warning.
"Oh, sleep well, my friend."
She pulled the trigger, and she barely saw a glimpse of the bullet as it zinged its way to Cyborg's metal-plated chest.
"System Shutdown." A voice that sounded eerily inhuman said as the robotic parts of her friend turned gray, then pitch black.
She was disappointed to see that there was no ketchup to be tasted.
"Perhaps it is because Cyborg is not completely human, and so lacks the necessary equipment to produce the ketchup. But I believe I shall find success with friend Robin."
She laid her hand to the non-metal part of her friend's face, realizing that it had turned cold.
"His body has become so… chilly." She remembered that in Earth times, it is now the season called 'autumn', and further questioning from Robin revealed that it occurs just before winter.
"Maybe he is dreaming of the coming of snow. Oh, what a magnificent thought, friend!" She giggled as she entered the elevator.
:iIi:
She soon found Robin in the training room, focusing all his pent-up anger on one unfortunate sparring mannequin. After minutes of kicking and hitting various parts, one arm of the dummy snapped off and he sneered at it in disapproval. Some time later, after delivering a powerful blow to its breast the mannequin was hurled to a wall, then when it fell to floor smashed into pieces.
Frowning, Robin started to dismember another mannequin with his potent beatings. Starfire leaned against the doorframe for a moment, just watching him. He'd been training for quite some time now, and had, bit by bit, discarded his articles of clothing and finally stripped down to a pair of black boxers, exposing more of his sculpted torso. Her eyes followed each droplet of sweat that descended his muscled chest and back, licking her lips deliciously.
She shook her head in concentration. "Hmm. My dear, handsome friend Robin has been working too much. He needs a long, serene, and I so believe enjoyable rest with my gunning device."
She put the hand with the revolver behind her back as she walked nearer to the swift form. "Hello, friend Robin. How are you? Are you exhausted?"
Robin hesitated. "No, Star. I'm fine." He spoke hastily. That was the tone he used when he didn't feel like talking to anyone.
"Oh, I presume not, friend. You need to sleep." She then, almost tenderly, put a hand on his shoulder.
He came so close to swipe her hand off, then halted himself just in time. "I don't feel like sleeping right now, Starfire." His teeth gritted carelessly.
Said Tamaranean rolled her eyes, something she had recently learned from friend Raven's unusual mannerisms.
"Then I will help you."
She brought out the weapon, making Robin step back in bewilderment.
"Put. The. Gun. Down. Star. Fire." His voice changed from the commanding tones to something akin to smooth, haunting and seductive, enunciating every syllable, as if trying to hypnotize her. He slipped into a fighting stance, if but undecidedly.
"You are unwell, dearest Robin. I will help you receive your well-deserved 'forty winks.' " She didn't give him any time to react, his cat-like reflexes failing him when he needed them the most, and fired the shot from at least six feet away, but, unfortunately, didn't miss the target. The bullet went directly into Robin's gung-ho heart, making him hit the floor with a loud thump.
She knelt down beside him, touching his cooling cheek gently. Oh, even when asleep Robin looked so devastatingly striking.
"You have earned your rest, Robin." She smirked delightedly, as "ketchup" poured from the wound on his chest to the floor. She dipped her finger to the injury and nearly twirled in the air in jubilation, then something queer happened.
Robin's perfectly shaped-mouth was suddenly tainted with scarlet as more of his precious life force came out through the new opening.
Another (sickening?) smile lighted up the alien girl's face as she leaned over to put her mouth over his, tasting what she had desired for so long. Once there, her tongue slipped in to lap up the blood that surfaced. The substance was even sweeter when she tasted it on his lips.
:iIi:
Raven finally decided that after ten straight hours of undisturbed meditating, she could at least get something to eat. Thinking about it, she become conscious of the fact that the Tower was dissonantly quiet that day. Usually, she could even hear Cyborg and Beastboy's tofu-meat verbal matches from her room…
She passed by the open door of the workout area and saw Starfire bent over something colorful. She had seen the Tamaranian in far more outrageous poses, and shouldn't have been surprised when she took in that it was probably Robin underneath her… Jealousy flared up in Nevermore.
Wait a minute. She stopped hastily in her tracks. What on earth…? Was that… blood in there?
"Starfire! What the hell are you doing?" She yelled, storming into the room.
Starfire backed away from Robin, wiping her mouth impulsively, smearing red across her golden cheeks. Her typically bright and cheery eyes were glazed and unfocused, almost as if she was… drunk? Well, maybe not, but she was far from sober…
Raven's blood ran cold in her veins when she laid eyes on Robin, stagnant and surrounded by pints of blood that erupted from a ghastly abrasion on his chest. She dropped to her knees and took him in her arms protectively.
"What have you done to him?" She hissed, indescribable fury blazing up inside her. It was a good thing she had spent those ten hours meditating, or a little while longer and she would have erupted worse than any volcano in history.
Starfire laughed, not mockingly, but it might as well have been.
"I have helped him go to sleep with this device," She showed Raven the revolver, spinning it deftly between her fingers. "For he cannot do it himself. By your appearance, friend Raven, I shall safely assume that you need rest too." She cocked the gun at her horrified friend.
"What's wrong with you?" Raven spat disgustedly, before throwing her cape over Robin's (dare she think it?) body, and vanishing in a glow of black energy.
Starfire placed bloodied hands on her hips, tilting her head to the side. The stains on her arms and face had begun to darken and crust, and she flexed her joints to make them fall off.
"It seems that Raven desires to play a little game. Very well, I shall amuse her and act along."
:iIi:
Raven placed both hands over Robin's heart and summoned all of her healing energy to patch up the fatal gash, but by then, the realist part of her knew he was long dead. However, the more hopeful part of her was stuck in a phase of denial, as she alighted his chest repeatedly with the bluish glow until there was not a scar left amidst the blackened blood.
She cradled his head on her arms, inescapable tears springing to her eyes. What was the matter with Starfire? Why did she do this? Why? Why? Why? Why? It was very bizarre behavior for the naïve, innocent alien. But maybe that was it. Did she even know what she was doing?
Well, whether or not she did, Raven still felt rage taking over her emotions. Ignorance was no excuse!
She killed Robin. Robin was dead. Dead. Dead dead dead dead dead dead dead. The word repeated itself in her head like a cruel and ruthless punishment. Again and again she saw in her mind's eye the poor, hunched form of her secret beloved beneath Starfire, who waslapping up his blood like a toddler would to an ice cream cone, or, more appropriately, a vampire would to the ivory of a maiden's neck. She didn't even have a chance to say goodbye… Why didn't Cyborg or Beastboy stop that… that maniac? A horrible, insightful possibility materialized and dawned on her. Unless…
She felt cold, stinging metal pressing against the skin of her neck, sending shivers up her spine.
"You killed the others too, didn't you?" She sobbed, unable to hold it in any longer.
"Killed. Kill. It is an exquisite word. Yes, perhaps I have killed them too. Don't you want to kill too, Raven? I think that, in your heart of hearts, you have also thought of this 'killing' activity you speak of, haven't you? I have seen how much you wanted our friends to be happy. Did you not think, ever, at all, of killing them? Why, friend Raven, it is most… satisfying."
Starfire's tone was malicious and spiteful, like a predator viciously toying with its prey before devouring it.
"Why, Starfire? Why? They're dead, Star. Dead. They're never coming back. Why did you do it?"
Starfire laughed, the sound coming out hallowed and empty, so far from the usual cheery giggle that was heard from the alien.
"It felt oh-so enchanting, dear friend. When I pulled the little handle, they fell to the ground unceremoniously as a minute bit of metal spiraled into the air and pierced their bodies, and the ketchup sprouted from the entrance of the hole upon contact. The crimson, watery yet so thick, and pleasantly warm substance tasted better than ketchup, or mustard, for that matter. Their empty eyes and mouths drop open as if in awe of the dreamland that I have put them within. Their bodies turn ice-cold, and I presume they are dreaming of the coming of the white 'snow' that follows the period of falling leaves and cooling air. They are inactive, so passionate and unbelievably concentrated on their fantasies that they do not bother with what is beyond them. They have wanted those dreams for so long, do you not understand me? I have placed them out of their misery so they can finally reach it in their grasp. Helping others just gives me a tingly feeling inside.
"It feels wonderful to kill them, Raven. And, I imagine it would feel so grand to be killed, too. Would you not want to me to kill you?" Starfire barked the words in Raven's ear with surprising vehemence.
Raven's entire body shook, mixed emotions surging through her. Wrath, hatred, revulsion, and a tinge of pity…
At this point, she was numbed by the dialogue. How can something be so twisted and horrifying and psychotic and unknowing at the same time? She did the only thing she could think of. She burst into tears and cried.
"Oh, why do you weep, friend Raven? I find it useless to shed tears on the happiness of our friends. Maybe I should bid for you to join them now…"
"Yeah, do just that. Kill me, Starfire. Kill me. At least I don't have to stay here with you, you… you murdering monster!"
Starfire clicked her tongue. "Tsk, Tsk. Such mean words, I am almost considering that you don't deserve to feel the joy of dreamland. But you are my friend, so I shall grant you the same brilliant wish."
The Tamaranian watched, satisfied as Raven collapsed forward upon fire, landing on top of Robin's stale corpse. There was more of her beloved ketchup as the bullet hit Raven's neck, splattering her clothes with red. But she didn't find the urge to discover its varying ruby flavors.
She looked at the gun, gleaming menacingly in her hand, and sighed, almost… sadly.
"All of my friends are gone. Happy, but gone. I am… alone."
Then her eyes lit up, even if no one was left there to see it. She held the weapon in front of her, remembering how she had found it just hours ago. She stared deep into the twin barrels that seemed to stare back at her like another pair of eyes, and a nauseating, relieved smile spread across her blot-marred face.
"Oh, it is my turn now!" She exclaimed blissfully. "Wait, and prepare for a welcome, my dearest friends. I am coming soon!"
The bullet shot rang throughout the Tower as the killer's bleeding body with the ruptured features buckled to the floor, unaware of everything she had done.
The gun slipped tersely from her cold dainty fingers, marking the end of the fifth life it had taken that day.
:iIi:
Now, it's quite simple, really. You tell me if this is any different from the original, and if so, if it was a much better portrayal of my plot. And how shall you do that? Why, you can say it all when you
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