CRKKK!
CRKK-KKK!
At the mouth of the cave, Static and Starfire are shattered free from their restraints by the mechanically strong arms of the suited Mr. Freeze. So overcome with their frigid conditions, they can only kneel and shiver as the Gothamite villain affixes a metal wristband to each Titan.
"Here," Freeze's voice electronically drones. "These devices will keep you from trying to escape our presence. I designed them myself. If either of you so much as leave a fifty-foot radius from my power suit, the bands will emit a biological shock that shall reduce the two of you immobile… …if not dead." He turns and marches his way towards where a nervous-looking Fraust stands in the sunlight. "But, of course, what is death but an absence of futile warmth?"
Starfire's teeth chatters. Static looks up, his breath visible as he murmurs: "Wh-Wh-Why are you d-doing this?"
Fraust bites her lip. She looks up at her foster father.
Mister Freeze stops besides her. With a whirring sound, he raises a metal arm and gently strokes a few of her bangs. "There was a time when I would swear that I had no tears to shed. My pain over the loss of my beautiful wife had totally encompassed me. I have since become a monster that no exorcism can cure, blind to the fact that there are souls in this world far more tormented than me. When fair Amy fell into my life, I understood that I was not the only monster. And like a good beast, only I am so fatefully equipped to seek out and reckon with the heartless, cold demons that roam our lands."
He turns around and faces them with a glint of his domed, red goggles.
"Far East of here.. ….Neo H.I.V.E. has a facility. In that facility, many children much like Amy are being tortured and brutalized," he tightens a gloved hand over a freeze gun. "Now that Amy and I are reunited, we shall make our way to that hideout. And with your added assistance, we will free these wretched souls. And.. …we will KILL everyone responsible who gets in our way."
"So th-that's why you've imprisoned us.. …," Static hisses. "To add some muscle to your murder?" He frowns. "I think not. We won't cooperate."
Mr. Freeze doesn't even bat a red eye. "We shall see about that. Come, Amy… …" He marches forward.
Fraust nods and follows after her 'surrogate'. But she pauses at the mouth of the cave. She looks back momentarily.
Static stares at her strangely.
A beat.
Fraust says nothing, but coldly scampers on ahead with a trail of frozen dust.
Static shudders. "G-God, sh-she gives m-me the creeps m-more than he does—" He blinks, startled. For he is suddenly warm. He glances down and sees that Starfire is cupping her hands up against his chest with the tiniest, most minute summoning of a Starbolt. The hot, alien energy does wonders to chase the shivers away.
"It will do us the most good to cooperate with them, Virgil," Starfire says. "In the meantime, at least."
"B-But I don't understand why, Star!" Static says. He momentarily winces: "Well, aside from the whole 'bioshock-armband-click-click-FLASH-you're-dead' thing, but…." He grits his teeth. "Nnngh—That guy is a maniac! He's a Gotham villain, Starfire. A GOTHAM VILLAIN."
"He is a tortured soul, much like Fraust was, I am certain."
"… … …am I getting through to you at all?" Static moans. "Did your internal translator malfunction or something, girl?"
"Truly, I am most adamant," Starfire stares at him an calmly says as they slowly catch up with their captors. "Mister Freeze may truly be a murderous persona. But he has something that can assure us of his downfall in the long run."
"And what in the Hell is that?"
"Fraust… ..," Starfire smiles. "I sense that she is the true fulcrum upon which this instrumentation turns. If we remain close to her, there may yet be a way for us to emerge gloriously victorious from this debacle without any blood shed!"
"Gee, Star… …I dunno.. …..," Static fidgets with his new armband.
"You must be willing to trust me, dearest Virgil," she says. "Even the fiercest warriors back on my home planet—noble or not—fell before the grace of their 'daughters'. There is a limit to the bleeding of every heart. Even the frozen ones."
"Well.. …I'll trust you, then," Static sighs, glances aside, and mutters: "As long as one of us is trustworthy.. …"
"Why, whatever do you mean?"
Static scratches the back of his neck. "I just.. …Kinda sorta feel like I'm the one responsible for the two of us getting in this mess. Robin's going to have my ass with Tobasco sauce for not only freeing Fraust but nearly getting YOU turned into a Popsicle."
"Hehehe.. …Fear not, Static. Every step we take—Guilded or Free—takes us all the more closer to Flaar, and righteous retribution."
"… … ….okay…"
"X'Hal is with us….," Starfire floats ahead. "Now, let us make haste. Or else we may be dealt with the 'shock of the bio'!"
"Erm….Yeah…," Static sees her fly off and lingers momentarily. "Yeesh.. …Ever the enthusiastic one." A beat. A drunken smile briefly splashes across his face: "I k-kinda like that…"
"Virgil! Hasten!"
"C-Coming!" He stops fidgeting with the armband and scampers after her.
