Dark Titans – Arc 6 – Wed by Dawn
Chapter 1
(EDIT: Let's try this again. Looks like there was a big issue with that didn't let people read new stuff, as I'm sure EVERYONE knows about by now.)
Hello again, cherished readers. As promised, I have (eventually) returned with the next installment.
This time I return better prepared, with assistance from two of the best authors I know, Cap'n Chryssalid and Claymade (obviously I don't have enough 'C's in my name to hang with the cool kids too much), so I just wanted to give them a shout out for their help editing this chapter for me.
Just a heads up, this arc in now complete, and I am going to go with a bi-weekly release schedule this time, to give me more time to work on the next arc as well.
And I hope that you are all keeping safe.
Enjoy if you Will, Tolerate if you won't.
Speedy anxiously paced around the spacious lobby of Titans Tower. Every few moments, he spared a glance towards the ridiculously oversized door that served as the entrance to the cavernous lobby. Honestly, why in the world did Cyborg think that a massive set of thirty-foot tall double doors was necessary? Were they expecting a tank to roll in to ask for parking validation for the larger tank it drove in on? Put in a revolving door and call it a day like a normal human! And more importantly -
Where were those two?
Terra and Ryouga were supposed to be back hours ago! And still not a single word. He couldn't even track their locations through their communicators. If it had been anyone but the would-be City Destroyer and her keeper, he'd be starting to get worried.
His musings were cut short as one of the towering doors swung open, the sound of laughter flowing into the room. Of course, the door opening without Speedy's help could only mean one thing, and the distinctive silhouettes cast against the evening sun confirmed his guess.
The martial artist and the geokinetic strolled into the tower chatting between themselves, only to stop short when they noticed Speedy glaring at them with all his being.
"Where have you two been?" he bit off harshly.
Immediately, Ryouga's hand started to brush through the hair on the back of his head as he let out a nervous chuckle. Terra, on the other hand, fired an annoyed look at her companion.
"Ryouga here, just couldn't wait to get home and had to find a washroom on the way here." The waifish blonde then pulled out her communicator and shook it about. "And I couldn't get this stupid thing to call him, so I had to hunt him down by following the walls he knocked down when he started panicking."
Speedy turned a questioning glare to the fanged fighter, who only offered a helpless shrug in response. The rest of what Terra said trickled into his mind then, and he turned back to her. "Hold on a sec. I've been trying to call you guys all week. All. Week. Are you telling me you didn't get any of those messages? I thought you were just ghosting me."
"We didn't get any messages," Ryouga stepped in, pulling out his own communicator. For some reason, his was hexagonal instead of the standard circle. Odd, that. The martial artist then held out his device to Speedy, apparently keen on proving his story.
Taking it, Speedy flipped it open and had a quick look. Everything seemed to be in order. About ten percent of the battery left, not bad for a week on the road, and the date was right, everything seemed-
And there it was. He tossed the communicator back to Ryouga a bit harder than intended, but the guy didn't seem to notice at all as he caught it.
"You got it on Airplane Mode, genius."
Ryouga stared back at him blankly, then turned to look at Terra, who stared back at Ryouga blankly, which was followed by Terra staring blankly at Speedy.
"Uh… Airplane mode?"
Speedy slapped a hand to his forehead, only to drag it slowly down his face.
"Have either of you ever owned a cell phone?"
"Never really been in one place long enough to worry about it," Terra answered with a shrug.
Ryouga shuddered visibly. "I mean, can you even imagine the roaming charges?"
Watching Terra explode into laughter, physically doubling over and holding her sides, while fascinating, was utterly confounding. Had that even been a joke? For his part, Ryouga just glared at her as if he were trying to melt her with heat vision. He wasn't laughing at all, like he was entirely serious.
These people were a special strain of crazy, alright.
"Alright, Chuckles, hit the showers, then go check on Kasumi. We got a few early arrivals upstairs already. Make sure they aren't hitting on her too much."
Gasping for air, Terra finally managed to stand straight and snap off a sharp salute. "You got it, Boss. I'll make sure no one is hitting on her any more than she wants them to!"
He wasn't sure if it was the excitement for the party driving her, or the prospect of a shower after a good week on the road that caused her to run off so quickly, but… judging by the smell, he placed his bet on the latter.
The tiny titan out of the way, Speedy turned back to his martial contemporary.
"Well, now that I've sorted out our little mystery, let me fill you in on the week I've been having."
Terra felt like she had been reborn. The road might be her home, but damn if the shower wasn't the greatest invention in human history. She felt like she'd lost ten pounds of caked in grime in about fifteen minutes and the sweet sensation of simply not having her clothing clinging to her from a combination of sweat and dust felt like heaven.
Looking down at her bare arms, the new top she had purchased while 'searching' for Ryouga displaying them proudly, she noted two things. First, was a level of muscle definition that certainly hadn't been there before. Second, was the complete absence of painful red welts from repeated acorn impacts. Her master was lucky! If she'd had to go to her first real party covered in bruises, then she sure as heck wouldn't have been the only one!
Smiling and spinning before her mirror, she nodded in approval at the pale blue top and jean shorts combo. Tonight was going to be so great; she could just feel it!
A few minutes and a short walk later, she strode into the Main Room, soon to be redubbed the Party Hall! She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but what she saw certainly wasn't it.
Music filled the air, but it was a quiet ambiance rather than a dominant roar, mostly just background noise at this point. Kasumi was there, of course, leaning against the kitchenette island, apparently fascinated by something in the far corner of the room. The tall brunette was wearing a breezy looking yellow sundress, something Terra had never seen her in before. Following her friend's gaze, it led to the large television setup. She could just make out the backs of two people's heads, one with bright, curly blond hair, the other jet black. They were currently locked in a match of Ninja Cart Party on the big screen.
Walking past the couch, feeling particularly emboldened, Terra called out, "I got the winner!"
Immediately, both guys turned to look at her, the first a pale young man with hauntingly piercing green eyes, the second, a handsome African American youth. They both smiled and waved, the first with a timid curl of his fingers, the other with a broad wave of his arm.
"Hey, Girl! Just give me about five minutes to beat Chatty Cathy over here!"
Smiling broadly now, Terra pointed over his shoulder. "Um, you might want to pay more attention to the race if you plan on winning."
Immediately, he spun around, to see that his silent companion had already turned back and continued the race while he had been chatting with Terra. Suddenly, the excitable hero's head ignited, literally burst into flames and he began yelling at the green-eyed guy.
"Why you cheating little-!"
"Elemental guy," Terra did a little finger gun thing at the guy, a bit awkwardly as he had already forgotten her completely. "That's cooool…"
Shrugging, she wandered over to join Kasumi, the older woman content to watch the boys from a distance. Smiling brightly again, she strolled up and nudged her companion.
"And to think I rushed up here because Speedy was worried these guys would be all over you."
Kasumi politely giggled into her hand. "Speedy thinks that I'm attractive enough to compete with video games? My goodness, I didn't realize what a big crush he must have on me."
Terra burst into laughter all over again. You'd think everyone was dusting off their Stand-Up comedian routines for the night. Wiping a tear from her eye, she hopped up to sit on the counter next to Kasumi.
"Don't play innocent with me. You know you're going to be a hot commodity tonight."
Contrary to her demand, Kasumi leveled an innocent stare her way. "An old maid like me? I'm sure that everyone will think I'm just the chaperone." The Japanese homemaker draped a hand across her brow. "I'm so jealous of your youthful vitality. I'm certain that you'll be the one fighting boys off with a stick, tonight. Especially in those shorts."
Kasumi's gaze drifted down in a very pointed look. Instantly, Terra's face felt like it was on fire and she tried to pull the hem of her shirt down over her thighs.
"Kasumi!"
Smiling impishly, Kasumi tapped a finger to her chin. "I do wonder if we are going to be a tad over… under dressed? It seems that everyone is going to be wearing costumes except for us, and Ryouga of course."
The geokinetic hero shrugged. "Who cares? My old 'costume' was pretty much a T-shirt and shorts." Fashion had never really been her strong suit, anyway, but now she felt the niggling worm of doubt crawling in. Was it going to be weird talking to a bunch of people in masks and tights when she was dressed in civvies?
She still had time to change…
"Oh, that reminds me. The caterers bringing the hot food trays should be arriving in an hour. Can you help me set that up when it arrives?"
Terra's eyes widened as she looked over to the long tables, already laden with countless varieties of snacks. Was there even room for more food? "Sheesh, you really went all out, didn't you? Are you planning some sort of feast or something?"
Kasumi rolled her eyes, donning a smirk. "I'm starting to think that you and Speedy have never hosted an actual party before. This isn't going to be anything even close to a real feast."
Now this had the makings of a real feast. Perfume gracefully took her seat at the lengthy table before her. A sense of excitement hung in the air and multicolored lights danced below the ceiling. Exotic and unfamiliar aromas emanated from the nearby kitchen, strange, yet still savoury and tantalizing to her senses. Even as she smoothed out her skirt, a server leaned to her side placing an oversized goblet before filling it with a dark liquid. The Elder raised a single eyebrow, the cup making a sound reminiscent of an anvil impacting an iron plate when it hit the table.
Sitting to her right, in the seat closest to the end of the table, was Elder Cologne. To her left were Lotion and then Spice, followed by Captain Phyarelle and then his command crew. Across from Cologne sat Koriand'r, followed in line by the young Robin and then the rest of her friends, as well as several other unknown Tamaraneans. And, of course, standing at the head of the table was her pupil's guardian.
Perfume absently traced her fingers along the base of the goblet as she rested her chin on an upraised palm, enjoying the room more than the drink as she spared a glance to study the towering Galfore. She pouted for a moment; it was unfortunate that the massive warrior did not share the same fashion sense as the Captain of the Void Skipper. The only muscles he flaunted were his trunk like arms. His build certainly indicated a man that trained diligently, and the scar over his eye was no doubt the mark of an experienced warrior.
He had… potential.
Once everyone was situated, and drinks served, Galfore reached down and picked up his goblet and raised it in a toast.
"We give praise to X'hal for the triumphant return of Princess Koriand'r!"
Immediately, all the Tamaraneans present lifted their cups and gave loud cheers of 'X'hal!', before drinking heavily.
Impressed with the sentiment, Perfume lifted her own goblet-
Or tried to. She stared at the metallic cup, having thought it would only be a few dozen pounds, imagining it to be iron or the like. Smiling now, she focused a bit more strength - effort that would have seen a normal cup launched through the ceiling - and lifted the goblet, casually tipping it towards her host.
Cologne, of course, was balancing her own goblet effortlessly on the end of her staff, while Koriand'r and Victor were toasting one another as well. The rest of the children on the other hand…
Her gaze fell pointedly on Spice, who was just managing to lift her own goblet, using both hands. Honestly, the thing could only weigh a few hundred pounds. Shampoo would have lifted it effortlessly; obviously, she was going to need to focus more on physical conditioning than technique for the next few months.
Several boisterous moments later, the cheering finally died down and Galfore held his goblet high once more. He stared down pointedly at the fiery haired princess. "By X'hal, Myand'r and Luand'r would be so proud if they could see the woman you have grown to be, My Lady. Oh, but it has been-" The imposing warrior's voice cracked, a bead of moisture rolling down his cheek as he continued. "Been so long since you were stolen from us by the Citadel. ...Words fail me… I apologize."
Perfume, without even realizing it, found herself leaning forward, feeling a small lump in her own throat at the grizzled male's heartfelt words.
He is… so sensitive...
Taking pity on her 'K'norfka', as she had called him, Koriand'r rose from her seat and held out her arms. Gesturing for Galfore to sit once more, she finally spoke.
"Please, my friends. It is I that should apologize. It was my own doubts that prevented me from returning to my home, even after I had finally escaped." The young princess dipped her head in shame. "I realize, now, that I have been running from my responsibilities. I must do what is best for Tamaran."
The young Elder took a casual sip of the exotically flavored liquid from her goblet. The two Tamaraneans had said much in few words. She had been aware of some small portion of her pupil's past, but an entirely new and more complicated weave was beginning to unfurl itself.
Koriand'r returned to her seat, turning back to Galfore. "Unfortunately, now is not the time to remonstrate my poor decisions. There are events of great importance that require our attention."
"Of course, my Princess," the massive warrior replied, gently covering her hand with his own. "You no doubt have many questions. I will do my best to explain…"
Standing once more, Galfore gestured towards the great open-air balcony several dozen yards removed from the table. Through the great opening the great wide plains of Tamaran were visible and arrayed across those plains were countless viridian vessels of hideous design. "You have witnessed the seemingly endless fleet of the Great Drenthax Army that darkens our skies."
The ochre skinned girl nodded tentatively. "Indeed… however, I have never heard of this 'Drenthax Army' before."
"Nor had I," Galfore admitted gruffly. "Unlike most of our enemies, they have come from beyond the Vegan system. Of them, we know little else. Their true motivations and capabilities are, unfortunately, a mystery to us."
A silent pall hung over the table, until it was unexpectedly broken by Captain Phyarelle.
"And Tamaran just rolled over like a Zarnik to this enigmatic enemy?" The lean male rose to his feet, slamming his hands to the table. "I was told that not even a single shot was fired! That the Grand Ruler-"
The entire table skidded a foot as Galfore slammed his fist to its surface. Titans scrambled for cover as goblets became cannonballs and Perfume kicked her own seat back.
"You do not question the Grand Ruler!" The bearded warrior's bellow echoed through the hall. "Remember your place, Captain. We serve the crown."
"Yes, no matter whose head it rests on," Phyarelle muttered, before finally taking his seat once more.
For a moment, Galfore studied the proud captain, his expression softening. "I apologize, Captain. You did us a great service, returning our Lady Koriand'r." He turned his gaze back to the fleet of ships dotting the landscape. "And, believe me, if I were Grand Ruler…" A tired sigh. "But I am not."
Picking up on the obvious segue, Koriand'r interjected herself between the disgruntled males. "Please, Galfore, how did all of this transpire? And how is my sister involved in all of this intrigue?"
Returning to his seat and taking a moment to pull the entire table back towards him, the aged warrior nodded. "Yes, of course. The Drenthax fleet arrived first. They appeared in orbit without any warning and demanded Tamaran's surrender."
For the first time, a human deigned to speak. Half standing, Robin wore a confused expression. "But why not fight? Starfire told us that you were a warrior race, and you have a fleet of your own, don't you? How did they even get into orbit?"
Galfore, for his part, looked the tiny human boy over with a lidded gaze.
"And... who is this, Princess?"
Instantly, Koriand'r beamed a blinding smile. Gesturing to the caped hero, she nearly tripped over her own words. "This is my dear friend, Robin. He is a most talented warrior, and an excellent strategist as well!"
Galfore studied the young fighter a moment longer.
"He seems… rutha."
Perfume raised an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the word. Seeing her confusion, Koriand'r smiled widely once again, however this time it seemed quite forced.
"It means nice!"
Robin slouched in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff.
"No, it doesn't."
To his side, Victor and Garfield snickered shamelessly among themselves.
"Regardless, Boy," Galfore continued, "The unfortunate truth is that Tamaran has yet to fully recover from the last invasion. Our fleet is only a fraction of its former glory, and the Lord Regent decided it would be best to… to negotiate."
Perfume grinned, sharing his sentiment with that last word. "It sounds like it is a good thing that this Regent was replaced."
Galfore looked hesitant for a moment. "Korthus is a good man. However, he has lived through several invasions on Tamaran. He lost his brother and his nieces to the Citadel. That much pain, it can change one's priorities."
Noticing the downward glance from Koriand'r at the mention of the name 'Korthus', yet another piece of the puzzle slipped into place.
"So… Korthus still lives?" the flame-haired princess asked, sounding honestly surprised.
Her K'norfka nodded, his smile bittersweet. "The Empress was quite merciful."
"Excuse me," a new voice drew the attention of all present. A bit surprised, Perfume turned to see Lotion, hand held up tenuously before her. "I hate to be rude, but I can't help but notice that the Empress seems to be quite… controversial. I understand that she is the sister of the Princess," she nodded her head respectfully in Koriand'r's direction, "But I do not understand the animosity that so many seem to possess."
For a moment, Perfume wondered if the young scholar had overstepped all decorum, a number of the stares in her direction growing pointed, as well as heated. Luckily, the young Princess held up a hand to forestall any angry outbursts.
"My sister - my sister, she…"
Once again, Galfore dropped a large, callused hand onto his young ward's. "Allow me to explain. You need not relive what you have suffered at her hands."
Leaning back heavily into his seat, Galfore seemed to consider his words, only to drain the rest of his goblet and consider them some more. Finally, holding a hand to his brow, he spoke.
"For the Princess' new friends, allow me to explain our situation. You see, the Vegan system comprises twenty-two worlds, of which we control but one." He gestured for one of the servers to refill his glass before continuing. "There are a number of other races that call this system home as well, but the most ruthless and populous of them are known as the Citadel. A scant few centuries ago, they began to expand their empire, invading planet after planet, until finally, they reached Tamaran."
"They are great warriors as well, then?" Perfume asked, fascinated with the history lesson.
He waved his hand giving a disgusted 'Bah'. "They are strong enough, I suppose, but their main strength is that they are a species of clones. The breed like grunthmek and are controlled by a massive computer system that is focused solely on expanding its empire."
"You don't paint them as an existential threat, young man," Cologne interjected.
That drew a bark of laughter from the orange skinned alien. "It has been some time since anyone has called me young." He studied the shrunken elder with an appraising eye. "Then again, I have only passed my fourth century, while you appear to be in your, what, ninth century of life?"
For the first time in her life, Perfume saw the ancient Matriarch look truly poleaxed! She pursed her lips tightly to stop herself from bursting into laughter, but she was one of a scant few to manage the feat.
"Y-yeah, that sounds about right!" Spice squeaked out, only to dive under the table when Cologne's gaze whipped in her direction. Not realizing his gaffe - and was he actually that old? - the bearded Tamaranean leveled a judgmental look to those laughing around the table.
"You younglings lack respect," he intoned in a deep baritone. "You should treasure the wisdom of your elders, for it is the greatest gift one can hope to receive."
Immediately, the 'younglings' bottled up their mirth and to a one, suddenly found the tabletop to be the most fascinating thing in this alien new world. Even Cologne bore a wry grin, basking in the admonishment. Perfume found herself smiling once more, even if she had technically been on the receiving end of that particular lecture.
He really knows how to handle children…
"Forgive these children their foolishness," Cologne replied with a raspy chuckle, "But, back to my question?"
"Ah, of course." Returning to his seat, Galfore quaffed more wine before continuing. "Despite their numbers, Tamaran resisted the dark tide of the Citadel's expansion for over a century." A dark glower spread across the ancient warrior's face. "Each of our warriors was worth a dozen of theirs, and our planetary defenses were all but unassailable…"
A piercing squeal echoed across the chamber as the goblet in the ancient warrior's hand was crushed into a solid mass, alien drink spilling carelessly over his arm.
"Or so it seemed."
Galfore looked at the ruined mass in his hand, apparently not realizing what he had done, and simply tossed it over his shoulder with a gruff grumble. It landed with a single dull thud a dozen yards behind him. Grim expressions settled on the face of every Tamaranean present, though none more heart broken than the one borne by Koriand'r herself.
"Tamaran fell to the Citadel fleet. A fleet commanded personally by Princess Komand'r."
There were several gasps around the table, but none from their orange hued hosts. Galfore rolled his wrist, apparently trying to coax more words forth, but his throat hitched and stuttered, too caught up with emotion.
Again, the Captain of the Void Skipper half rose from his seat, resting most of his weight on his hands as he leaned heavily on the table.
"She laid bare all of our defenses to our enemies. Exposed our every strategy as she led the charge against her own people." Perfume could swear she saw tears begin to form in the lean officer's eyes before his long bronze hair fell forward to obscure his face. "I watched the R'hyallin fall, burning, from orbit, helpless to even free it from Space Dock and join the battle before it was all but over."
Having said his peace, the Captain slumped back into his chair.
"That - that doesn't make any sense," Robin was shaking his head, only to look at Koriand'r incredulously. "You were happy to see Blackfire on Earth. If she did that, how could you possibly forgive her?"
The Tamaranean Princess fiddled with her fingers, avidly avoiding all her friends' disbelieving stares. Perfume could scarcely blame them, with the scant few details she had herself.
"My sister and I had much time to reconcile… after we were stolen from the Citadel by the Psions."
Even Perfume was having trouble believing what she was hearing now. Was there no end to the senseless string of tragedy that encircled this young woman? "Who are these Psions? I thought the Citadel was the dominant power in this system?"
Galfore sighed loudly. "There is always a bigger Flornops. The Psions are an ancient race and possess some connection to the Oans. They are truly terrifying in their power but, luckily, prefer to float about in their great vessels rather than wage war. All the better to focus on their perverse experiments."
The young Elder refused to rise to the bait and ask who these Oans were. A bigger Flornops no doubt. And she thought that village politics could get messy.
For her part, Koriand'r nodded, her face clouded with emotion. "Blackfire and I were held prisoner by the Psions for several months, enduring their empirical curiosity."
The young warrior paused for a long moment, perhaps lost in memories. "All of the hatred, all of the feuding and treachery… in the face of what we suffered, day after day and week after week… it all grew so insignificant, so meaningless."
The alien princess dipped her head, her flame colored hair falling to obscure her face as she rested her hands on her knees. "All we had was each other."
The hooded Titan, Raven, nodded in understanding and finally spoke, "You thought that she had actually changed, that you had reconciled your differences."
Koriand'r lanced her violet eyed friend with an intense look. "I did not think it, I felt it, with all of my heart," a weary sigh, "When we finally escaped, we parted ways. We knew, regardless of our own feelings, that Blackfire would never be welcome on Tamaran after her actions, so she left the system. I, on the other hand, returned home."
"Or, at least, that had been my intention."
This time, it was Robin that nodded in a knowing manner. "And that was when you ran into the Gordanians."
"Indeed, ever the loyal hounds of the Citadel, always so eager to please." The young Princess gave a derisive bark of laughter. "And the rest, as they say, is antiquity."
Again, Perfume quashed the impulse to ask for further clarification. Gordanians now? Just how many alien races lived in this system, anyway?
"Which brings us back to the present," Galfore soldiered on, a stormy expression on his face which had grown steadily as his princess recounted her painful experiences. He gestured back to the balcony and the alien fleet beyond. "The Lord Regent bought Tamaran precious time, but it all seemed to be in vain. No matter what was offered, it was inevitably rejected as insufficient to those alien worms. It seemed that the spark of war would ignite at any moment."
Rising to his feet once more, Galfore began to pace around the table. "Which was when Lady Komand'r returned to us."
An unexpected bark of laughter drew the attention of all to Spice. The young warrior laughed again, disdain clear in her voice. She looked up at Galfore with lidded eyes. "The worst traitor in your world's history lands on your doorstep, and you make her your matriarch? Robin is right, I think all this talk about you being warriors is just that."
Shouts of outrage echoed from all corners of the great chamber, from the highest-ranking officers, to the lowest of servants. Oblivious to the anger, Spice leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms behind her head, even as several Tamaraneans rose to their feet, no doubt intent on making their feelings known more viscerally.
The potential violence was cut short by a loud, heartfelt laugh. Still laughing, the mighty Galfore wiped a tear from his eye, then slapped Koriand'r heavily on the shoulder, nearly sending her face planting into the table.
"Finally, one of your friends shows some backbone!"
"I would not really-"
"What is your name, youngling?" Galfore asked, trampling over his Lady's weak objection.
Smiling wider now, but not abandoning her relaxed posture, the emerald haired Joketsuzoku replied easily. "I'm Spice, the greatest warrior of our village…" she followed up, muttering under her breath, "In my age bracket."
Perfume hid her grin behind her hand at her pupil's boast, but Galfore nodded approvingly. "A strong name. Well, young Spice, have no doubt, there were many that shared your thoughts on the return of the Princess Komand'r."
"That girl, though," an odd expression settled on the old warrior's face. Was that… pride? "She swept aside the Royal Guard with scarcely any effort at all. By X'hal, she has grown so strong."
Old Cologne perked up at the frank admission; the old bird never could hide her obsession with 'collecting' the most talented and powerful of the younger generations. Perfume, on the other hand, felt some of her hard-earned respect waning. She fired a challenging glare at the flame bearded Galfore.
"Are you telling me that you allowed yourself to be beaten by a slip of a girl little older than her?" she nodded in Koriand'r's direction, noting the look of hurt that flashed across her face at the dismissive tone.
Galfore returned her gaze, looking at her as if she had grown a second head. "Are you mad, woman? I could no more hurt my little bu- ahem! I could no more harm Princess Komand'r, then I could raise a hand against my precious Koriand'r."
Said 'precious princess' squirmed in her seat, her face burning with embarrassment even as all her friends donned expressions of confusion. Perfume caught his meaning quickly enough, though.
Ducking her head respectfully, she uttered a quick apology. "Forgive my harsh words. I should have realized that you would have reared both Komand'r and Koriand'r through childhood."
Immediately, understanding dawned among the other humans present. Galfore simply nodded at her observation.
"Before things could get too far out of hand, she demanded the Rite of Strength, as was her birthright." He shook his head sadly. "Needless to say, the contest was both short and decisive."
Perfume found herself nodding in time with Cologne. There could be no method of ascension purer than trial by combat.
"At which point," the ancient Joketsuzoku to her side followed, "Your new Grand Ruler found the one thing that this mysterious enemy required." She leaned back into her own chair, giving a raspy chuckle. "An entire armada appeased by an arranged marriage. One would think that fool Genma was behind this inanity."
"Sadly, I do not know all the details of the proposed treaty," Galfore admitted, his fist curling in frustration. "But you are correct. For reasons I cannot fathom, everything hinges upon that one condition."
A pall descended over all gathered once more, the gazes of everyone being drawn to Koriand'r.
"She's not even that pretty," muttered Spice under her breath, managing to garner a wry grin from Captain Phyarelle and a muted laugh from the young Garfield sitting across from her.
Finally, Galfore held up his hand, only to have a fresh goblet placed in it, as much to his surprise as anyone else's. The ancient warrior gave a tired chuckle, before raising said goblet up. "Please, enough of this grim talk for now. I have prepared a grand feast for the return of our beloved Princess. Let us enjoy ourselves while time still permits." He dropped a companionable hand on Koriand'r's shoulder, before gracing her with a wistful smile. "I know not how much time we will have to speak after you meet with the Empress."
And with the cue given, over a dozen Tamaraneans, dressed in surprisingly conservative attire, each carrying a pair of trays that would likely crush a human waiter with their bulk, streamed out from the kitchen area out of sight.
With great relish and abandon, dish after dish was placed on the table, and Perfume found herself amazed at the diversity and sheer alienness of the food on display. The smells were heavenly, but the appearances ranged from blackish slimy globes, to… still moving slightly. Tamaraneans and humans did not seem to have a lot of overlap where palatable food textures were considered.
The natives of the planet, notably Koriand'r and Captain Phyarelle, wore expressions of joy, verging on predatory lust, so obviously, whatever this 'food' was, it was apparently well chosen and expertly prepared. Absently, she wondered at just how the meal itself was to proceed. The food was on the table, but there were no plates provided, nor cutlery. Then again, judging by the eager energy building up among the Tamaraneans, several of them curling and uncurling their fingers like claws, maybe it was self-evident.
She smiled eagerly, clenching her own fists in anticipation.
"I, uh, hate to ask," Robin interjected quickly. "But did you prepare any food that is, you know, toxic to humans?"
Galfore looked to Robin.
"I did not…" Then he looked up, scratching his beard in obvious thought. "I did not think to research human dietary restrictions; in my excitement, I overlooked that she might bring guests. You might want to steer clear of the Sputflinks, even for us, they can be… spicy."
Perfume chuckled into the back of her hand, "Robin, I would have thought one in your line of work to be more adventurous," she then turned back to their honored Host, "And I must say, even though I don't know what I'm looking at, this all smells quite delicious. Please, give my compliments to your chef."
Of course, even on Earth, something could smell sweet and still kill you. Hemlock smelled like celery, after all, but why were they here if not to expand their horizons?
She reached for a platter and Galfore began to chuckle, as if she had said something humorous. Her eyes narrowed, was he mocking her?
"I accept your compliments, tiny female." He turned to focus his stare across a few of the Tamaraneans present, most of whom donned bashful grins. "It is good to know that someone appreciates my cooking!"
A round of laughter followed his playful admonishment, but Perfume could only lean forward and point a finger accusingly.
"You are telling me that you prepared all of the food before us? Someone of your station, and with an army of servants at your disposal?"
He crossed his trunk-like arms across his broad chest, his muscles twisting magnificently. "Surely you jest! You believe I would let anyone but myself prepare a Feast of Welcoming for my little bumgorf!?"
Immediately, Koriand'r's face grew to match her hair in crimson intensity.
"Galfore!"
Ryouga leaned back in his chair, stationed only a few feet from the massive entry door of the Tower. Running his hand through his damp hair, he let out a sigh of relief from finally getting the chance to wash the road off. Comfortable again in his favorite pants and a fresh black undershirt, he relished the AC that cooled the room. Americans did love their AC. It was far less common in Japan, where generally only a few rooms had air conditioning. Still, there was something indulgent in just letting yourself get blasted with cool air after a long stretch on the road.
He did feel a bit guilty, though, and not about the AC. It seemed that a lot had happened in his absence, and his inexperience with electronics had meant he'd missed it all. He still had no idea what Airplane Mode was. As a sign of good will, he held out his plastic cup of soda out to his side.
"Man, Red X really worked you over this week, didn't she?" He grinned as Speedy tapped the proffered cup with his own. Sitting in a folding chair next to him, Speedy blew a few errant hairs out of his eyes.
"You know, I didn't even mind the fact that she beat me. I mean, professional courtesy dictates I acknowledge that she's got game," he stated grudgingly, only to lean forward with a grimace on his face, "But that shot about Robin being better than me? And not being able to say she's wrong?"
The crimson archer drained the rest of his cup, only to crush it and toss it over his shoulder.
"That hurt, man. That hurt real bad."
Shaking his head, Ryouga could surely sympathize with the young hero. Granted, Red X was right, but it was a bit of a foregone conclusion after Robin started training in the Chestnut Fist with Cologne. If anyone understood this one highly specific scenario of having a heated rival suddenly, inexplicably outclassing you after training in an obscure technique under an ancient old crone… well, Ryouga had lived it.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I have no idea why she's back, but now that Terra and I are here, we can start tracking her down tomorrow." A grin spread over his face, fang poking out. "It'll be good practice for Terra, dealing with such an unpredictable opponent."
Speedy waved off his concern with a gloved hand. "Trust me, Red is the least of my worries. Hell, if I knew where she was right now, I'd invite her!"
Ryouga stared at his companion blankly for a moment. "Excuse me?"
The archer threw his hands up in frustration. "This party is a disaster, man!"
"What are you talking about? Kasumi is already babysitting eight guys upstairs while we man the door," Ryouga replied in disbelief. Frankly, it was already getting to be too many people for his comfort.
"Exactly. Eight guys. Guys! The only girls at this party are the ones that live here!" Speedy jumped out of his seat and started pacing anxiously. "If things don't turn around, this is going to turn into a sausage fest on us!"
The fanged fighter glared. "Hey! Was that some kind of pig joke?"
This time, Speedy stared blankly at him. "What?"
"...Never mind. Of… course it isn't. Just-"
A knock at the door derailed his train of thought, which was probably for the best, as Ryouga really couldn't think of a graceful exit strategy from a potential porcine polemic. Jumping at the chance, literally, he leapt for the door, beating the archer there and swung it open.
To say he was a bit surprised would be like saying Raven could be just the tiniest bit moody… from time to time.
"Mousse? Shampoo?"
Ryouga could only stare, flabbergasted, at the quartet of teenagers that filled the doorway. Shampoo, resplendent in ceremonial armor and with her chui hanging from her hips, wore a teasing grin. Mousse, wearing his standard robes, but with a number of weapons strapped to his back for some reason (maybe he finally ran out of storage space up his sleeves?), and a very nice set of glasses that looked so stylish and normal, that Ryouga was forced to believe they had to be ensorcelled with the most powerful of magics to perform the same job his usual coke-bottle glasses did.
With the two Nerima regulars were a pair of blondes… both floating a few inches off the ground. The first of the pair had a stylized red 'S' on her tight white T-Shirt so iconic that even the Lost Boy of Nerima knew exactly what it meant by now. The second, equally attractive woman wore… an American Flag? Well, it was blue and had a lot of big white stars on it, anyway. She also had a large, hooked, golden spear, and wore a mask a bit larger than Robin's, but still only covering her eyes and forehead.
Mousse dipped his head in recognition. "Hibiki."
Beside him, Speedy's jaw hung open, before he gave his head a good shake, whispering, "Hallelujah!"
Before him, the pair of blondes gave both Speedy and himself a quick once over - Ryouga suddenly feeling a bit exposed without his sweater on - only to not so subtly bump their fists together, large smiles growing on their painted lips. Supergirl - because who else could it possibly be? - leaned over to Flag Girl and whispered, "We came to the right party!"
Flag Girl, not even that subtle, elbowed Shampoo in the ribs. "Damn, girl. You know this guy? Rowr!"
Ryouga felt his cheeks starting to burn and felt the urge to cross his arms over his chest. For her part, though, the lavender haired Amazon looked Ryouga up and down several times before turning back to her new friend.
"Shampoo never see him before in her life."
The fanged martial artist nearly face planted before holding his hands up and curling his fingers in frustration. Supergirl and Flag Girl burst into giggles at his reaction, and even Mousse chuckled in amusement. Glowering mightily, a family specialty, Ryouga finally recovered enough to think of the perfect response.
Evil grin slipping onto his face, he held out his arms.
"Good joke, Shampoo! Now you Amazons get over here and give your old friend a hug! I haven't seen you guys in forever."
Still grinning, Mousse began to step around his beloved, only to stop as Shampoo swung her head violently from side to side. "I no hug complete stranger!"
Ryouga's grin widened. It had been far from one of his proudest moments, but he knew, from a bitter experience involving one bar of water proof soap, that he had a rather infamous reputation for his displays of affection. "Either you come over here and hug me, or I'll come over there and hug you…"
An instant later, the vivacious Joketsuzoku sprang forward, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Aiyah! Is Cabbage Head! Shampoo miss!"
Waiting for Mousse to join them, as if the Hidden Weapon Master would ever miss a chance for a group hug with Shampoo, Ryouga wrapped his arms around both of his friends. Allowing himself a short moment to enjoy the smell of lavender shampoo (he had no idea whose it was), he finally released his fellow Nerima alumni.
He shook his head, still not quite believing it. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you League types were off saving the galaxy every other week."
Supergirl, looking far too excited to stay on the sidelines for long, glided forward and wrapped an arm around each Amazon's shoulder. "Yeah, but this is the off week, so we figured we were due for a party!"
Smiling now, glad that a night out in the woods with Sarah had seriously desensitized him to gorgeous blondes, he bowed politely to both newcomers.
"Pardon me for my rudeness. I'm Ryouga Hibiki." Kasumi would box his ears if she caught him ignoring guests like that… well, no, she wouldn't, but she would give him one of those looks, and that would be so much worse. Quickly, he gestured to his companion, who gave a more casual jaunty wave, "And this is my comrade, Speedy. We'll be two of your hosts for the evening."
The alien celebrity waved off his apology with a friendly shake of her hand. "Don't even. It looks like you have a lot of catching up to do with Nujiézú and Weapon Master, here." She then dipped her head as well. "I'm Supergirl, by the way, and this is-"
She was about to gesture to Flag Girl but was beaten to it as the patriotic young woman surged forward, bouncing the Kryptonian out of the way, to grab Ryouga's hand.
"I'm Stargirl! It's nice to meet you."
The spear wielding girl then turned to Mousse. "You weren't kidding, Mousse. He is just as cute as that Ranma guy!"
Ryouga fired a glare at the bespectacled weapon master that threatened to powder the wall behind him. Instantly, Mousse held up his hands in warding.
"That's not what I said! I just said that you two look exactly alike to me!"
The simmering Hibiki considered his words… then considered the source before shrugging. "That's fair, I suppose."
"Hmph! Lost Boy not even half as handsome as Airen."
Well, that was more like it.
With introductions out of the way, Supergirl then turned her attention to the ginger archer. She matched a friendly wave with a nod of recognition. "Hey Speedy. What have you been up to lately? You never come up to the Watch Tower to visit Green Arrow anymore."
"Decided to strike out on my own," Speedy replied with confidence bordering on bravado. "Probably for the best, too. Looks like I started a trend with sidekicks striking out to make names for ourselves."
Reaching out, the superhuman blonde playfully ruffled the archer's hair. "Sure, ya did. Still, don't be a stranger. There's only, like, four people worth hanging out with up there." She fired a sultry wink Ryouga's way, setting him to stuttering. "And, of course, feel free to bring your friends."
Apparently quite fed up with something, Shampoo threw her hands up into the air. "Everyone needs to stop flirting with Shampoo's homely friends! It like Shampoo on crazy pills!"
Not quite sure how to respond to that, Ryouga chuckled, despite himself. Nodding, he gestured to the elevator at the far end of the room.
"I'm sure you'll find plenty of new friends upstairs to hang out with. Just hit the big 'M' button, and you're good to go." He then punched (lightly!) Mousse in the shoulder. "And don't forget to say hi to Kasumi."
As an afterthought, he lanced Shampoo with a heated look as well. "And be nice to Terra, or I'll be back for that hug later."
The proud Amazon stared back at him defiantly, before shrugging her shoulders. "Don't even know who 'Tara' is. Should not be issue."
And with that, the quartet of long-haired heroes walked/floated past them, heading for the elevator. The last words Ryouga heard from the group was Supergirl whispering to Shampoo, "If you don't want it, I'll totally take that hug in your place."
Ryouga and Speedy watched the girls, and Mousse vanish into the elevator, the bandanna clad fighter no doubt struggling much harder to not enjoy the view than his partner in crime. As soon as the door closed, Speedy slapped his hands together loudly enough that Ryouga winced, before spinning around.
"Damn! That's what I'm talking about!" The lanky archer started to playfully punch into Ryouga's ribs like he was a human punching bag. "Dude! Why didn't you tell me that you had an in with the Justice League girls?"
He shrugged helplessly, not even feeling the light blows to his abdomen. "I'm just as surprised as you. Then again, Kasumi did say she was inviting her sister. If there's even a chance that Ranma might show up, that explains why Shampoo is here."
Ryouga tried to sound blasé at the idea of Ranma showing up himself, but the excitement of seeing his best fr- rival, best rival again after so long was starting to bubble up inside.
"And what's up with that? Shampoo? Mousse? What kind of codenames are those?" Speedy ran a finger across his chin, smiling devilishly, "Not that I am complaining. Your new friend there is hooo-"
The hormonal archer was cut off by a gentle nudge to the ribs from Ryouga's elbow. "Hey, careful with that. You do not want Mousse to hear you talking about her like that. Also, I totally forgot, but thankfully Supergirl reminded me. Their code names are actually Nujiézú and Weapon Master, so while it's fine between us, try to use them while you're upstairs, okay?"
Still gasping for air and rubbing his chest, Speedy managed to reply with a weak thumbs up. A few seconds and a few more laboured wheezes, Speedy finally caught his breath.
Shaking his head once more, Speedy just stared at the elevator, wonder on his face.
"Man, I can't believe we got a Kryptonian at our party. No way anyone is topping that!"