AUTHOR'S NOTE:
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"Whoa!" I jumped back to the wall as Starfire flew by with her arms filled with purple suitcases. She set them down.
"Forgive me. I could not see you in my path." Starfire said.
"No worries. Do you need any help?"
Starfire, a little hesitant, nodded. I rolled out two remaining suitcases and set them with the others while Starfire lugged a bundle of all her clothing out of her closet. The top half of her body looked like a giant tentacle monster from her boots sticking out in various directions. I bit my tongue from pressing the matter behind this.
"Uh..." Beast Boy said as we came out with the last of Starfire's belongings. The other Titans stood with him. "Are you going somewhere, Star?"
"...Yes." she said. "I am leaving for Tamaran."
"How long is it that you have to bring everything?" Raven said.
Starfire gulped in a deep breath and faced our friends with a smile on her face, yet sadness in her eyes. "Forever. I am never coming back."
"What?!" my friends shouted.
"Yes, it is true. I am... leaving to get married."
My friends shrieked in shock again, Robin noticeably louder than the rest.
"Married?!" Robin said, shoving his way to the front.
"Unfortunately so." Starfire's eyes brightened. "I wish to invite you all to the wedding. I cannot wait for you all to behold Tamaran! I would appreciate help with packing my items."
The Titans remained motionless, glued to their spots like statues.
"...Will there be cake?" Beast Boy said.
"Perhaps there will be foods with... similar consistency." Starfire said. She turned her back to the others, gathered as many things as she could, and flew down the hallway.
"Married?!" Robin cried again.
The T-Ship cruised through space in uncomfortable silence. I glanced into Robin's peripheral and saw him sitting forward with his shoulders hunched and a mighty scowl.
"So..." Cyborg said. "Is your husband-to-be someone we know?"
"No. Even I have never met him before. Whomever I am to wed was chosen for me by the Grand Ruler of Tamaran-"
"You've never met him before?!" Robin screamed into his microphone and blasted my eardrums. "How can you get married to someone you don't even know?!"
"I-It is the tradition of my people..."
I glanced at my radar and noticed a cluster of twelve red dots making their way toward our ship. I looked up and, although they were small, saw them coming.
"Incoming fleet of enemy ships!" I said.
"Where? I don't see any-" Beast Boy said before the T-Ship rumbled violently and cut him off.
"I don't suppose this is some kind of welcoming committee?" Cyborg said. Starfire shook her head.
"Whoever they are, they picked a bad day to mess with us." Robin said. "Titans, separate!"
The hiss of steam occupied the silent void as my pod detached from the main mass. The T-Ship split into six different pieces. We blasted off into different directions. I looked behind me, only to see no bug-shaped spaceships chasing me. While two chased four of the Titans, I noticed four chasing one. I twisted the wheel to the right, working with the lack of gravity to bring my ship around and charge after Starfire's ship.
I stared at the large board of buttons in front of me.
Which one activated the lasers again? I thought. Uh... red is the same color as lasers, right? So maybe...
I pressed a red button. My ship launched forward at unseeable speeds. My body smushed against my seat, unable to lean forward. The stars whizzed past like I activated hyperdrive. The bug-shaped ships chased Starfire back and forth.
"Starfire... watch... out!" I managed to say.
Starfire, noticing me wildly careening toward her, sped up to avoid collision. The enemy ships, however, paid no attention to me. I rammed the front of my ship into two of the enemies. I lurched forward, puncturing my stomach against the wheel. I winced from the pressure. The bug ships hissed like cockroaches as they spiraled in the void. I frantically scanned the control board again and randomly picked a green button to press. Two small hatches opened on the hood of my ship, and laser cannons popped out. They hummed to life and shot the ships with lasers. The ships exploded, and the heat wave made my ship fly back.
Thank you, T.V. luck.
"Is everyone all right?" Robin said.
"Yeah, but what were those things?" Raven said.
"I assure you they were not from my planet." Starfire said.
The six of us regrouped into the T-Ship. Starfire cast her eyes forward and gasped. She leaned forward, pressing her hands against the glass.
"There!" she cried. A planet floated in the distance. It was completely white with red lines curving along the surface. "Friends, I wish to welcome you to my home, Tamaran."
We broke through the planet's atmosphere. The sky was a dark purple tint with stringy, magenta clouds.
"Have you ever observed such a beautiful landscape?" Starfire gushed as she gazed out the window.
I looked down at the barren land. The purple-tinted rocks were as dry as chapped lips, and plant life- or any life, in fact- was absent.
Still, I've been to very few alien planets in my life. Seeing extraterrestrial ground, no matter how empty, was fascinating to look at.
We continued to drive until we saw large rock protrusions with buildings carved into the sides of them. The buildings climbed the sides of the rock, ending with a giant castle perched on the top. We landed the T-Ship on a landing platform. It collapsed like an exhausted dog. Smoke billowed from the engines and the creases of the ship. We climbed out and walked down the runway toward the castle. At the base of the castle, a large door lifted open. The light inside shone on the backs of the people standing at the door, making them only silhouettes.
The largest silhouette, easily fifteen feet, approached us. He had long red hair that cascaded down his back, leaving the top of his head bald, and a thick beard that covered his chest. He wore a black shirt under his silver armor, leaving his biceps bare so his hulking muscles could breathe. When he stopped in front of us, his shadow consumed us. Starfire floated up to his face, her hands glowing with star energy.
The man shouted at Starfire in the Tamaranean language. Starfire replied with the same gusto. They stared at each other in tense silence.
"Should we... do something?" Cyborg said.
The silence shattered as the man lifted back his head and let out a hearty laugh that shook the ground. Starfire's lips trembled into a smile and she laughed alongside him. She planted her feet on the ground and turned to us.
"Friends, I am delighted to introduce you to my Knorfka, Galfore!" Starfire said. "He has raised me since the time I was very young."
"Zal." Galfore pounded his fist against his chest and bowed slightly. He lifted his eyes past us and beheld our ship. "I see you have come in contact with our new enemy."
"You know who attacked us?" Robin said.
Galfore turned and stretched his hand out past the castle. We followed his arm and, at the end, saw multitudes of the bug ships. They reached out past the horizon; there were perhaps thousands of them!
"The great Drenthax army. These monsters threaten to overthrow our planet." Galfore growled. He clenched his fists. "This would not be so if I were Grand Ruler. If only...!" Galfore sighed and turned to Starfire. "It is only wishful thinking. Much has changed since you departed."
Starfire rested her hands on Galfore's shoulders. "I have missed you dearly, Galfore." she said.
"And I have missed you, too... Princess Starfire." Galfore dropped to one knee and bowed. Starfire looked around as the guards standing at Galfore's side also knelt.
"Princess?!" my friends cried.
Starfire turned with red cheeks and chuckled. "Uh... Yes. You see, I am second-in-line for the throne. It appears I neglected to tell you such information..."
Starfire grabbed Galfore's hand and quickly dragged him and the guards inside.
"Why didn't you tell us our little alien butt-kicker was royalty?" Cyborg said, nudging my shoulder.
"It's not my place to tell." I said, folding my arms. "Maybe she thought you would treat her differently if you knew."
"Well... Now it's definitely weird." Raven said, eyeing the guards lined at the door as we went inside.
The guards opened the doors to the dining area. A white U-shaped table with one dozen golden chairs sat in the center, minuscule compared to the room. Starfire sat at the head of the table with Galfore on her right side and Robin on her left. I seated myself next to Robin with Raven on my other side. Large bronze goblets sloshed purple liquids in front of us.
Galfore stood and raised his goblet. "A toast, my brethren. To our beautiful princess and her new husband!"
Starfire stood and lifted her goblet. "And to my friends. It fills me with joy knowing you are here with me to celebrate this day!"
The Tamaraneans were the only ones capable of holding up these giant hunks of metal. I only gripped the handle, knowing without a doubt that I wouldn't be able to raise it. In fact, it could probably kill me if it fell on me. The goblets clunked together collectively.
Robin pushed his goblet away, although only a few centimeters. He opened his mouth to speak, but an overflowing bowl containing foreign fish was dropped in front of him.
"It is time to feast." Starfire said. The Tamaraneans gazed hungrily at the food. I scooted my chair back slightly and covered my eyes as they flopped onto the table and scarfed down the food like animals. Something slimy plopped onto my lap, and I shuddered and frantically shook it off.
A few minutes of listening to their gnashing teeth, the Tamaraneans sat back in their seats. Bones and scraps of food littered the once pristine table.
"Did you enjoy the food?" Starfire said. She burped and covered her mouth.
"I don't think I ever want to eat again." Beast Boy said, poking his head out from underneath the table.
Heralds standing at the door lifted up the tips of gorka pipes. I covered my ears seconds before the sound filled the room, causing the walls to shake. The 'music' penetrated through and stung my ears.
The Tamaraneans in the room stopped and turned to the door. As they slowly opened, they dropped to one knee and bowed. As a person stepped into view, my friends and I did the same.
"All hail the Grand Ruler of Tamaran- the Empress!" Galfore proclaimed.
Starfire lifted her eyes and gasped. "Blackfire?!"
Blackfire smirked and placed a hand on her hip. A dark purple cape was draped over her shoulders and fell down to the floor. A pointy, M-shaped piece of metal shaped around her forehead and face. "It's been a while since I've seen you, little sister."
Starfire stood, her eyes glowing. "The last time I saw you, you were being dragged off to prison!"
"Oh, that old place? Although I would've loved to be there for all eternity, it just didn't seem to match my tastes. So, I broke out and returned to Tamaran to- ahem- claim my rightful place at its head." Blackfire said. I looked to Galfore. Although he didn't express it much, his clenched fists drilling into the ground showed his contempt. "Now you've got me blabbing about myself. I can't possible divert the attention to something other than a princess on her wedding day! I'm sure you're eager to know who you'll be spending the rest of your life with."
Blackfire stepped out of the way to show a tall, muscular Tamaranean with long, flowing red hair. Robin tensed, and I yanked on his cape to keep him from jumping to his feet and objecting like a ferocious lawyer. The Tamaranean flew out of the way, giving room for a giant, lime green, blob-like monster with elephant-like trunks covering his body to enter the room, using a hovering chair to move about. Starfire's jaw dropped.
"Starfire, meet your groom: Glgrdsklechhh!"
Glgrdsklechhh belched from mouth and eyes- which were also mouths- and spewed green goo in the process. The goo landed at Starfire's feet. She shuddered and looked back up.
"But... But I cannot-" she said.
"You can and you will." Blackfire's smile widened. "You see, sister dear, this handsome blob of a creature happens to be the exalted Sklerch of the swamp moons of Drenthax IV. He agreed that he would spare Tamaran and keep his army from destroying all of us if he married you. Of course, if you don't want to marry him, then you can kiss this sweet place goodbye."
Starfire gulped. I remembered back in Car Trouble when she mentioned the swamp moons of Drenthax IV as a place to visit. I bet now she never wants to go there again.
Glgrdsklechhh sidled up next to Starfire and gurgled.
"I'm sure we will... be very happy... together." Starfire mumbled. She rested a hand on one of Glgrdsklechhh's trunks. She pulled away, leaving a thick, sticky slime on her hand.
"That's lovely to hear." Blackfire said. She raised her voice to the people. "We celebrate my sister's wedding at moonset tonight!"
The Tamaraneans stood and erupted in roaring cheers. My friends looked around, flabbergasted.
"B-But Starfire, are you sure about this?" Robin said.
Starfire bowed her head, unable to respond.
"Escort my sister to her chambers so she may prepare for tonight." Blackfire said. Two guards guided her out of the room, one in front of her and one behind. "And keep an eye on her friends. We don't want to stress the bride on her big day."
Blackfire grinned down at us before she turned and left the room. The guards at her side followed her and closed the doors.
More guards materialized at our sides and led us to our room. The scene was much darker than the brightly lit dining area. Beast Boy tried to sit down in what he thought was a chair, but I yanked him back before the creature could chomp on him.
"Okay, that's it! I am so done with this place!" Beast Boy cried. "It's like this planet is designed to have everything want to eat you!"
"With Blackfire at its head, I'm not so surprised." Robin paced and wrung his hands. "We need to do something about this wedding. There's no way we're going to let this happen!"
"Just remember that this isn't Earth. Things are different around here: different traditions, different cultures, and different etiquette. Who are we to question how they live?" Raven said. "But, assuming you're going to ignore everything I say, how do you suppose we do things?"
I cleared my throat. "If I may interrupt..." I said. I kicked a chair-like object and, seeing it didn't spring to life, sat on it. "I'd like to remind you that the last time we dealt with Blackfire, she tried to throw Starfire in jail. Everything you've been told is a lie- the giant bug army, the truce, and the annihilation threat. Blackfire only wants to marry off Starfire so she can get something called the Jewel of Charta from Glgrdsklechhh. The artifact will help increase Blackfire's power and make her invincible and able to rule Tamaran the way she wants to."
"All the more reason why we need to stop this wedding. When Starfire knows, she can fight back." Robin said. "I'm going to go talk to her. Stay here until I get back."
Robin stomped out of the room, his cape flicking behind him.
"I know I'm not the only person that realizes this whole conspiracy thing isn't the single reason why Robin is ticked." Beast Boy said, wiggling his eyebrows. "I smell jealousy!"
Raven rolled her eyes. "Get over yourself."
"You totally think that, too! I'm not the only Titan teeming with green!"
The door flew open, smacking against the wall with a bang that startled us. Guards filed into the room.
"Come with us. Now." a guard said.
"Is... there a problem?" Cyborg said.
The guards shoved their polearms in our faces. The tip of one hovered an inch from Cyborg's nose.
"There will be unless you obey Blackfire's orders. You're coming with us."
We stared at the cluster of guards and raised our hands in surrender.
We walked into a pitch black room. Spotlights lined the walls, displaying different species of aliens were trapped inside invisible containers.
"Here." the guards shoved us through a container at the end of the room. I shielded my eyes from the harsh light. I reached out my hand and managed to find the smooth, invisible barrier keeping us in. The doors at the end of the room opened, and two more guards dragged Robin in. They threw him into the container.
"Did you talk to Starfire?" I said.
"I didn't have a chance. These guards grabbed me before I could try." Robin said.
A collection of gorka pipes blasted from somewhere in the castle. The noise leaked through the walls with muffled dissonance. The wedding had begun.
"We can't give Starfire away to that freak!" Robin said. He pulled out an explosive disk and pressed it against the barrier, using my hand as a reference. We stepped back to the furthest side. The disk exploded, knocking the guards nearby off their feet. "Titans, go!"
We sprinted through the room, dodging guards as they aimlessly swung their polearms, and into the hallway. They yelled in Tamaranean as the doors closed. We turned the corner, only to be met with another swarm.
"Down there!" Raven said. We followed her line of sight below to see the wedding beneath us. Starfire finished walking down the aisle and stood next to Glgrdsklechhh in front of Blackfire. Even from this distance, Blackfire's smirk radiated. She began to speak, but it was slightly muffled from the thick glass.
"No one is allowed to interfere in the royal wedding!" one guard said. "Men, attack!"
The guards charged, the tips of their polearms pointed at us. Robin threw mini smoke bombs at their feet and cast a thick haze in the hallway. The Titans ran into the smoke, and I heard the cries of confused guards. Taking a deep breath, I ran into the smoke with pistols drawn.
The axe of a polearm flew blindly, and I yelped as I leaned back. A few strands of my hair fluttered in front of my face. I saw the head of a guard become visible, and I swung a pistol. It cracked against the guard's skull, and he crumpled to the ground.
"Starfire!" I heard Robin shriek, followed by the collective gasps of the wedding attendees.
As the smoke began to clear, the end of a wooden pole zipped toward me and rammed into my stomach. The tender area of my stab wound flared in pain, and I groaned and clutched my stomach. A guard crept up behind me looped his polearm in front of me and shoved the length of the pole into my throat. I choked back air and thrashed around. The guard responded with pressing the wood deeper against my larynx. Another guard approached me, his polearm raised above his head. I aimed my pistol backwards and pulled the trigger. The scream of the gun startled the guard behind me and his grip slackened. I slipped through the space he created and shoved him away before jumping out of the second guard's swinging range. The axe of the polearm sunk into the ground. While the guard tried to pull it back out, I swung my leg into his stomach. With a pained grunt, the guard flopped to the ground.
The smoke cleared completely. I holstered my energy pistols and panted. My wound throbbed in beat with my breaths, and I rested a hand against my stomach to try and soothe it.
"Are you well?" A hand rested on my shoulder. I met Starfire's eyes, but what caught my attention was the Grand Ruler crown shaping her face.
"You already fought Blackfire?" I said. "I was hoping I could watch that."
Starfire smiled. "Perhaps it will be featured in the new program."
The Tamaraneans cheered below for their new Grand Ruler. White petals rained like confetti. Starfire stood at the balcony's edge with Galfore at her side. My friends and I watched her from a distance.
"All hail Empress Starfire!" Galfore cried, pumping his fist in the air. The people below applauded. Starfire nodded humbly.
"Someone once told me to follow my heart. Such advice led me to realize the wrongdoings of my sister and cease them, for I knew she was not best for Tamaran." Starfire paused and turned to look back at us. "And now I must admit to you... that I, too, am also not fit to rule over you. Earth is where my life is- and where my heart wishes to be." Starfire smiled and removed the crown and placed it on Galfore. "This crown is best for one person- the one who has raised me since my youth with a strong heart and tender hands. All hail Emperor Galfore!"
The people chanted Galfore's name. Starfire hugged Galfore and approached us.
"I wish for us to go home now, please. I am missing Earth." Starfire said.
The Titans nodded and we headed down the runway toward the T-Ship, which Galfore and other Tamaraneans were very generous to fix for us.
"I really liked your speech." I said. "I'm glad you stay in Earth. The team wouldn't be the same without you."
"I am glad as well. Tamaran is the planet from which I was born, but Earth is the place that shaped me the most." Starfire said. "There is where I found true emotions- sadness, happiness, anger, excitement, and joy. And having the privilege to share these experiences with you and the rest of our friends... I would not trade it for anything else in the galaxy."
I smiled. "I've changed my mind; I like that speech a lot more."
Starfire giggled and linked her arm through mine. We hurried to catch up with our friends.
