(A/N: Okay, people. I know this story is a bit…on orthodox, but it's a work in progress, so please bear with me. Also, the people in this story are OOC, but I had to make it that way so that the story would work. Now, I have been getting a lot of questions, so I would just like to clarify that, no, they are not on Tamaran. They are on Earth, but luckily, no one saw Star use her powers. Also, for chapter three, I am asking any reviewers that would like to have a part in my story to email me. My email is listed on my profile page. Note that by accepting a part in my story and going to my profile page to get my email requires you to read my profile. :D
Chapter 2: Three Years Later…
Since her father's death, Starfire has become a walking zombie. She never sleeps, afraid that someone else will come for her next; she hardly eats, sad that she can't share a meal with her father anymore, and whenever she does eat, it's only because her friend, Rachel makes sure she does.
"Kori, you have to eat something. You're thinner than my Book of Azar!" Rachel exclaimed one night while studying at Kori's house. "People at school are starting to think that you are a ghost of the Star they once knew."
"Rachel, I appreciate the sentiment," Kori started, sounding exasperated, and weary, "but I have reached the teen of seven, and am perfectly capable of performing the 'caring of myself'.
"I know. It's just that it scares me to see you like this. Kori, don't take this the wrong way, but it has been three years, and I think it's time you moved on," Rachel said nervously.
Kori's eyes bulged, and her face twisted in fury. "Move on? MOVE ON! I lost my father, my best friend in the world! He was killed right in front of me, and I killed his murderer! I KILLED SOMEONE! I'm not saying I regret it, but I KILLED SOMEONE, AND YOU'RE JUST SITTING THERE, TELLING ME TO MOVE ON? HOW DARE YOU!" Kori stalked out of the room, trembling with rage, and slammed the door behind her.
Seconds later, Rachel heard keys jingling and the front door slam shut as well.
Rachel sighed. "Why do I have to be such an insensitive bitch all the time? I need to meditate."
Meanwhile…
Kori was walking down the street, trying to calm down.
"How can she say that to me? She understands more than anyone how I feel about the situation, and she still performs the act of 'dissing' me and my father." She told herself this, and while she was wandering downtown aimlessly, she bumped into something green and wrinkly.
"Oh, I am so sor – AAAAAA! What ARE you!" she exclaimed in fright as the green and wrinkly thing she mistook for a dead rodent began to dance to the beat of 'The Cha-Cha Slide'.
"'Four hops this time…1…2…3…4…Right foot, let's stom' – Oh, Hi! I'm what they call 'A Beast Boy'!" Beast Boy had stopped dancing and was wearing a stupid grin across his mucus-colored face.
"And what exactly is 'A Beast Boy' of which you speak of?" Starfire replied in utter disgust as he began to stare intently at her shoes.
"You know, those shoes are perfect for dancing 'The Cha-Cha Slide'. Wanna try it?"
"Uh, no, thank you. Please perform the answering of my question."
"DUDE! I'm a VEGETAR – "
(A/N: Not now, Beast Boy! Wait until Cyborg comes along! Sorry about that. He has been itching to say his line ever since I started the story, BUT HE MUST WAIT! …Thank You…)
"Okay, Okay! Sheesh! Anyways, 'Beast Boy' is the name I was given because of my ability to morph into any animal I want." Beast Boy replied, while checking over his shoulder for Cyborg.
"Oh." Kori said, as a look of dawning comprehension appeared on her face. "Well, I am sorry to have bumped into you, but I have to, uh, go now."
"Wait!" pleaded Beast Boy, "What's wrong? You seem sad."
"Well, I am sad, not that it is at all any part of your business," retorted Kori.
"You can talk to me. I may look like a giant booger, but I am also a very good listener, and I give good advice." Beast Boy then morphed into man's best friend, a Golden Retriever. He led her to a bench in the park across the street and sat down.
"If you – what's the word – insist?" Kori said, wearing a half a smile.
Beast Boy barked low to show that he agreed and was ready to help.
When Kori sat down, Beast Boy lowered himself to the ground and rested his chin on her knees and wagged his tail delightfully.
"Well, three years ago, my father was…" Kori's voice got caught in her throat, and she couldn't finish her sentence.
Beast Boy barked softly again, telling her that it was okay.
"Three years ago, my father was killed right in front of me." A warm tear seeped through her closed eyelid, slid down her face, and fell onto Beast Boy's nose. "It was horrible. It ended in me ending the life of his killer. I felt bad afterwards because…I was mad at my father for leaving me." She opened her eyes, but her vision was obscured by the tears threatening to slip down her face as well. "In the aftermath, all of my problems seemed trivial compared to losing my father. Now my friend, Rachel, told me that I needed to get over his death. I was so angry at her because she was talking about it as though it was a bad crush gone awry." She stopped talking, and Beast Boy took that as a sign that she was finished.
Beast Boy whined and morphed back into his 'human' self. "What was you're dad's name," Beast Boy asked, a look of shock and sadness mixed together.
"Galfore, why?" she said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.
"Oh my tofu god. Kori – jeez, how do I say this? Um, you're father wasn't…uh…killed. He was – murdered." He sighed. "A little more than three years ago, me and my team – the Teen Titans – were undercover, trying to get this villain – we fight crime, you see – his name is Slade. I was pretending to be a sparrow lurking in a near-by tree when I overheard him telling one of his goons that he needed a cover. He said some guy named Galfore was a witness to something and he needed it to be taken care of. He said to make it look like a robbery. A week later, we again overheard him telling another goon that the other guy had gotten the job done, but died in the process, and that he needed this new guy to make it look like an accident so that it didn't draw attention. Kori – I'm so sorry." He finished, looking sadder than before, with a tinge of regret lining his green forehead wrinkles.
Kori didn't speak. It was like she was shocked and sad all over again. She tried to remember the night, but oddly enough, the memory was fogged up.
"I want to know everything you know about this 'Slade' person," she said, fury etched in the lines of her face.
"Well, you can talk to my team. They know more about him than I do. I had just joined three years ago."
"Take me to them now," she said stiffly.
"Okay. Let me just call in a meeting." He reached into his magenta shorts and pulled out what looked like a walkie-talkie. "Calling all Titans. Calling all Titans. This is 'Booger Boy Supremo." He looked at Kori. "That's my communicator nickname." He smiled. "We have a situation. Meet me at the T-Tower in 15 minutes." He clicked off the communicator. "Okay. We should head over there now."
He turned into an eagle and soared into the sky. Kori followed, thinking the whole time what Rachel would say when she told her later on tonight everything that happened.
Meanwhile…
Rachel changed into her fighting uniform, left a note telling Kori she decided to call it a night and go home and levitated out of the window, on her way to meet Beast Boy at the T-Tower.
END OF CHAPTER!
(A/N: So…what did you thin – OWW! Beast Boy! What have I told you about morphing into a gerbil and biting my fingers! Sorry about that. He's been mad at me ever since I told him that he couldn't say his line until Cyborg arrived onto the scene. He has a bad temper. Well, I'll see you in the next chapter. Please R&R! And don't forget to email me if you're interested in having a part in the story.)