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Shockingly we were all down to use the fresh meat on a heist besides Starfire herself. She was fine with killing people, but not theft. Tamaranian morality scared me.
"Stealing is only right when it is the last resort. Are there not services your government provides to secure your housing, food, and happiness?" She asked and we had discovered that Tamaran had a more socialist set up where those were provided for all and other arts were funded. She described it so perfectly I almost was tempted to go. Though it was likely her memories were before it was blown to smithereens like that bunker she had been held captive in with her brother.
"Earth isn't like that, Candy." Seemore said and put an arm over her shoulder which she shoved off. I had been glaring at him more openly and she had taken that as a cue to let him know he could eat dirt.
"We aren't like everyone else, our normal lives aren't possible with how we look, so instead of starve we steal." I gave as a justification dragging a hand upward to my eyes and hair. I couldn't blend without major surgery. Mammoth never would. Gizmo would always be stigmatized. Let's not even speak of Kyd Wykkyd.
"You look beautiful." She said completely missing my point and I knew the tips of my ears and my face were turning a matching shade to my hair.
"Thanks." I said and turned away to find the fridge much more interesting than it was. It was getting bare, but it had use as way to cool my face.
"You need to earn your keep if you are going to keep scarfing down food like you have 6 stomachs." Gizmo added and the lack of insult was what we call progress.
"7 stomachs actually, though I understand. I do not approve, but I understand." I was really starting to question how much she understood. "What do I need to do?"
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Gizmo came up with the plan, Wykkyd provided the means of transportation in the moment, Seemore was providing his eyes on escape routes, Mammoth was muscle, I was the distraction, which left Billy and Starfire as back up. Though we came up with it being better strategy to keep her identity a secret at least for now. We would be able to trade her back easier if she wasn't plastered over the news as a turncoat. She wasn't fully sold on a life of crime, but seemed to be appeasing both me and Mammoth.
Though she did seem more sold on having a new outfit for the gig. Apparently her love of dress up was a permanent personality trait. I think she was just happy to be able to steal some of my clothes this time. Our main objective was hiding her shape and defining features. Her face was hidden behind a scream mask left over from Halloween with a hood attached that hid the immediate back of her head. Her braids and the rest of her hair was tucked into a crop sweatshirt with one of my signature capes to swallow her assets in her total silhouette. I offered a pair of fishnets leggings and a belt she wore with a mini skirt that I didn't dare wear around Seemore. She insisted on being barefoot and besides black nail polish being added they looked human enough. If she was recognizable by her feet my opinion of Robin would dip.
"This mask smells like the Cheetos. Can we get some after ?" She asked as she did the final twirl in front of the mirror in a rare moment she was invited in my room. Her voice was still distinctly Starfire which was a problem if she kept up in English. Once you had failed enough bank robberies the warning signs and flaws became more obvious. While Gizmo bordered on the mad side of scientist I did not participate in insanity making the same mistakes over and over while expecting a different result.
"We can get some and that sushi you like if you just listen to what Gizmo says without back talk." Yes resulting to bribes was likely the best way to handle her. I could not see her expression behind her mask, but her hip and crossed arms showed that she was far from thrilled. "I need you to say yes."
"Yes." She said in a disheartened voice that just fit with the uneasy vibe of that mask she was wearing. "If he insults me can I throw him in the ocean after we are successful?"
"If we are successful go for it, just remember if things go bad…grab me and come back here." Was it selfish I had her set as my getaway ride, yeah. Though I knew no one would argue since she would likely be hard to manage without me.
"I do not even know why I need to come." She said and tilted her mask up to reveal her face instead of the elongated white ghoul expression. There was pout plastered across her lips.
"You need to come in case we need you to distract any company we receive. Everyone contributes here, it's the closest to equality besides prison you'll find for people like us." I was more than happy to have someone else take over the combat aspect of distraction. She also seemed more willing to participate in conflict than stealing. What would she have been like if she didn't have any Titan influence? I kind of pictured her as a beach bum who could manage to eat off the ocean and whatever pina coladas poor suckers would try to buy her at over priced beach restaurants.
"Who is this company you keep alluding to?" She asked and I had no warning for her to jump back and land on my bed propelling me upwards and back down on her harder frame. She was skinnier, noticeably since we first found her. It didn't make sense to me with the sheer portion of food I saw her consume on a daily basis. I wished I could have dodged this hole of her knowledge of Earth.
"The idiots who live in the spotlight for solving messes they create or perpetuate. They act like their better than everyone else since they save people when the cameras are on, but they aren't as perfect as they seem. Some of them may try and stop us to get the attention and feed their egos. You'll knock them down a peg if they try." I said as she moved so she could take a pillow to hug instead of me. I had hexed her earlier when she broke my no cuddling in bed boundary. Her actions seemed flirtatious to me some times, but I had no clue how to handle her. Though if I told her I was uncomfortable and used that word she would immediately back off.
"Seemore says you tried out being one of these idiots. Why did you? If they are as bad as you say." Seemore was getting hexed into next week. Out of everything he had reveal my dirty secrets.
"I got tired and wanted to try something new. It was a mistake, they could never see me as anything besides my past." I know they tried, but I knew all the heroes I interacted with would not trust me out of their sight.
"Mammoth mentioned there was a guy involved, what happened to him?" Dammit did everyone talk behind my back to our amnesic guest. She had closed her eyes and taken to using the pillow for it's intended placement under her head.
"He's out of the picture. C'mon this isn't a sleepover, Starfire, get up."
"Did I have someone?" She asked opening her eyes and catching mine with what I knew would be lie detectors. If the boys were giving big chunks of the truth without conferring with me, only fair I did the same.
"He's not around anymore." I said since Robins departure had been announced though where he ended up was a mystery. I suspected he ran back home to mourn his girlfriend in dreary Gotham. "I don't want to talk about either of them, not right now. It was beyond messy, you were really…close."
"Thank you…I feel like I am missing so much, but what bothers me the most is feeling like I am missing someone so much it aches and not knowing their face." She had closed her eyes and I saw a bead of water fall from the corner of her almond shaped lids. Dammit why did I get the crying side of her.
"If I let you hug me will you feel better?" It took the alien no time to transform into a big spoon and proceeded to make the night an actual sleep over, though thankfully she did not ask anymore questions. She didn't even speak more that night. She just help me until I felt her breaths signal sleep and I ignored the sharp buckle of my belt she was wearing. It was easier to ignore than the discomfort of my guilt.
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The alarm was jarring, but less than the roll Starfire did to throw us both into the supposed safety of under my bed. Gah curse her war instincts. She was quick to snap out of it this time once she looked at what was making noise and the time.
It was too early for this, too early for everything, but it was the perfect time to break into the Jump City bank. It was an hour after the night shift change and their would be no civilians to subdue besides two guards. It meant more direct action from police or Titans, but if we didn't trip the silent alarm right away and our amnesic alien decided to play ball… that would be manageable.
"You need to chill." I said as I turned off the alarm. Her reactivity was getting hard when I was the one she decided to save from absolutely nothing. It would be worth it if she managed to save me from capture today, but I was getting tired.
"Let us go." She said ignoring my request as she put on her mask and walked out the door all business. I assumed she was annoyed by my alarm throwing her into a panic as well. Her blood was not obvious on my black pillow cases, but the sickly sweet smell had permeated the room. She must have started bleeding again through the night. She had been stuffing cotton under her braided styles to absorb it, but it must have failed her. Great another thing I would have to buy new.
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The heist had started off without a hitch with Wykkyd being able to subdue the guards before they tripped any alarms, cameras down, and no police or Titans coming. Though the vault was proving to be a little more tricky. I jinxed the metal to rust so Mammoth had an easier time punching through it. Though the metal did not cave as expected. There was a thick layer of concrete that was acting strangely. I threw a few jinxes, but I was starting to feel fatigued so I stopped when we saw the first layer of chain link. Chain link was Mammoths enemy since it was too small for his chubby fingers to fit between and punching it did not always go anywhere.
"This is taking too long." Seemore complained as he started to scan for expected intervention he was loud so it was likely someone would hear and report us.
"You try." Mammoth bit out as he shook out his sore hands.
"Okay." Starfire said not understanding Mammoth was just making fun of Seemore. Though he quickly let her take his place and her hands turned green as the link melted. We backed away from the heat and debris as she pulled back her fist and punched though the concrete. She pulled back to strike again getting into a mad rhythm. She seemed possessed with her ferocity and dedication to making the hole bigger or honestly just hitting something. Laugher though muffled was escaping out of her as she decimated the vault, melting the final layer of steel with a hole big enough Mammoth could squeeze through.
"That's enough." I said hoping she would snap out of her maniacal trance of destruction. She shook out her hands and stepped inside without looking back. I had no way to gauge her since I did not hear a verbal response or witness her expression. She grabbed a handful of bills before breaking the band and tossing them in the air. They fell around her like a swarm of green butterflies. At least she was entertaining herself.
Billy started loading up his bags and I moved to start jinxing the security lock boxes hoping that some rich people had stashed some diamonds or gold. Gold was easier to melt and resell. It was also The easiest to stash away from the boys' notice. I was only a few boxes in before Seemore broke up my vibe with a tap on my shoulder. In all honesty I was starting to feel the fatigue of overusing my powers. It was a trade off I could use my abilities and draw energy from the earth, but I had limits a little earlier than others.
"Alright our company is coming. It's blues not suits, mind keeping back the line or do you want to send in her?" He pointed to Starfire who seemed content to just sit back and watch. She did not seem to have picked up any of her earlier cash flurry. With the fatigue induced by overuse of my powers snapping at her might have come too fast before I could consider the consequences.
"Move your ass and distract the police outside." I growled over my shoulder in French. I heard a cracking sound and realized it was her neck flexing out. Her face was hidden behind the mask so I could not see her expression, but she stalked close to me instead of towards the hole.
"What would you like me to do?" She responded back in French though I could tell it was an opportunity to change my tone. Her voice was low and she was leading me back to the wall with her approach.
"It would be helpful if you distracted the police outside." I said hoping she would get her ghoul mask at a greater distance than inches from my face.
"Fine." She said and bent to grab a pack of rolled pennies at my feet that I had not realized had been her actual target. We had a discussion in the planning that her starbolts were unsafe for her to use and maintain her cover from bounty hunters. We also had a discussion she couldn't kill any cops.
XXX
"Why?" she had asked.
"They send in the big ones if you start killing people." Seemore had explained and she had watched us all shiver not wanting to be confronted by superman under any circumstances.
"Are the big ones really that scary?" She had asked seeming to be very curious about all of our reactions.
"They hit harder and lock us up longer." Billy had added. "Just don't, Candy." He said noting a weird glint taking over her eyes and a show of teeth.
"Are they stronger than me?" She had asked with a tilt of her head and for a second it had become murky in how to answer. We didn't know, she had been holding back in our fights. Her stats were comparable.
"One is stronger than anyone." Kyd Wykkyd answered and that seemed to give her enough perspective to nod in agreement.
XXX
I watched from behind a column from outside as she released a volley of quarters down on the police cars and riot shields. She was lobbing them lazily, but her handful of coins released from her left hand mimed bullets. It was an unnerving sight to know she was barely trying, her flat expression did not help. If she was tossing with full strength I had no doubt she would be obliterating the block. Though it was doing exactly what we needed. The police officers were pinned behind their shields and could not storm under her steady fire. The hard clink of coins hitting the cement was continuous.
Though I saw a tank was approaching rapidly from behind the line. I whistled twice to signal it was something she needed to handle. She paused her lobbing of coins and rushed forward gathering momentum to leap over the line and collide with the tank before anyone could alter paths or plans. She tilted the tank up 90 degrees so the cannon was skyward and tore off the tracks so it was stuck. Bullets rained on her back but only her clothes seemed to take any damage as she turned back around and rushed through the line to return to her coin stash.
She returned to what she was doing and the police seemed to be trying to disperse to her flanks that was getting less of the volley. She adjusted to this by using both of her hands going from her chest outward in her swings. It reminded me of how one might throw poker cards. Though it appeared when they returned to their huddle she was growing bored.
"Are we done yet?" She called out to me as she gestured to her low bag of pennies.
"Almost." I called out to her and went back inside to check what was left to take.
"What's taking so long?" I yelled at my companions once I was safely back inside. Though I was greeted by a cloaked figure that was decidedly more feminine than my roommate's. "Aw shit." I said as it was obvious the Titans had teleported via Raven inside the bank to deal with us. I sent a jinx at the chandelier above both our heads before running away in the direction of the door. If I could get to Starfire then I could get out of here without being arrested that would be nice. I had tucked a couple treasures from the safety deposit boxes on my person so it wouldn't be a complete wash. Though I saw a glowing yellow robe wrapped around Starfire and bailed out of that plan. I was not interested in being caught by Wonder Woman any day of the week ending with y.
Luckily my opponent was distracted by Gizmo releasing a set of stink bombs and flashers as he jumped around on his spider leg set up. He was doing well holding off Beast Boy and Raven for the moment. Mammoth was in a physical tussle with Cyborg and I had no visual on Seemore or Billy. Though those two fell more on the coward side so no counting on them to have my back. Though it was certainly nice knowing that we didn't have a hit-happy alien blasting starbolts at our faces every two seconds. I tucked myself behind a staircase and waited for an opening.
Though my luck ran out as Gizmo's legs were ripped off by Raven's abilities. She had the void eye glare going and I was just hoping Kyd had an escape strategy in play. A fly buzzed too close to my ear a second before I realized I had lost sight of Beast Boy. A giant green octopus erupted into existence quickly wrapping around me in tight slippery grippers. He managed to pin my arms to myself so I could not hex outward. I managed a shriek before he covered my mouth. Fuck. I bit down but he kept holding on and squeezing the life out of me uncomfortably.
Though salvation came in the form of a dark haired woman being flung through the window hard. Her outfit was not the iconic red, gold, and blue so it wasn't Wonder Woman, but she still had a golden lasso looped tight around her arm.
"Wonder Girl you okay?" I heard Cyborg shout as she tried to get her feet back under here. Well that was a clue, another big three knock off.
"Not for long." I heard Starfire call walking in with the other end of rope held in her palm. She dropped it as she crunched on broken glass walking with both steadiness and readiness. Her face mask was still on which gave me confidence that they did not know who she was. Though what brought me the most relief was when she sent a handful of pennies my way striking only beast boy until he was forced to shift into an armadillo for protection. With my freed state I kicked him like a soccer ball and shot a hex at Raven who had used her powers on some rubble ready to strike.
I ran towards Gizmo and debated the state of his jet pack would be best to just steal it. I felt the earth shake below me and had to question whether it was an earthquake since we lived in California. Though I got my answer as it happened again as Starfire tried to land a hard kick on the fallen Wonder Girl's face. The girl had rolled out of the way just in time, but had further entwined her in the Lasso of truth. This appeared to be Starfire's ultimate goal as she completed a loop and followed with a knot. Cyborg had knocked out Mammoth and was coming to Wonder Girl's aid. He was promptly struck by Wonder Girl herself who had been turned into a living flail.
With the impact Starfire shifted quick to trap Cyborg with the remaining rope. She created a loop around his neck and tied them both together before grabbing their legs and slamming them back down hard. Raven hit her in the back with rubble trying to get her attention. It did and she moved her direction and Beast Boy tried to seize the moment by shifting into an elephant directly over her head. He was easily caught as if Starfire and he had rehearsed it where he was then thrown at Raven. He was able to shift back to a human but hit her with great velocity. They fell into a tangle and Raven hit her head hard enough against the floor a sharp cracking noise was heard in the still silence.
"Can we go now?" Starfire complained once it was clear that the targets had been temporarily neutralized. Beast Boy had his arm pointed the wrong way and seemed like he was going to pass out at any moment. She went to grab Mammoth who was also out like a light. Gizmo had kicked his jetpack on and lingered to watch the carnage. He left out a window he had lasered open once he saw the fight was done.
"Jinx you okay?" She called as she set Mammoth down below the hole in the skylight. I was starting to feel the dissociation from overuse of my powers. She put her hand on my forehead and wrapped my arms around her neck. I could not seem to connect my tongue and my brain. She took off my belt she borrowed and used it to secure my wrists in place at a loop. "Hold in there until we get home." She said and used one arm to wrap around my wait using her other to grab Mammoth's ankle. She floated us home not sparring a look at our fallen foes. I did not make it the entire journey losing my senses with the vision of her white mask being the last thing I saw.