Dark Titans – Arc 6 – Wed by Dawn
Chapter 4
I don't own Ranma or Teen Titans.
Enjoy if you Will, Tolerate if you won't.
The sudden absence of music, followed rapidly by a piercing whistle, quickly drew the attention of the entire room to the small karaoke stage set up next to the elevator.
Kasumi nodded a quick thanks to her fellow host, as Speedy pulled his fingers out of his mouth and wiped them on his shirt. She was quite pleased thatthe red headed archer had asked her to join as Co-Host for his party.
"Hello, fellow heroes!" Speedy yelled out, his voice bursting with excitement. "Is everyone having fun!?"
Boisterous cheers rose from every corner of the room, and many drinks were raised into the air, many spilling various liquids on the floor. Kasumi was only glad the Main Room wasn't carpeted.
Speedy laughed happily at the vigorous response. "That's what I like to hear! And I have to say, it's a real pleasure to see so many old friends here, and it's a real blast to see so many new faces as well."
"Speaking of which," Speedy took a step back, falling in beside her, and he then grabbed her hand unexpectedly and held it up. "I'd like to introduce you all to Kasumi, one of the newest batch of Titans, and the woman directly responsible for making this party possible."
The eldest Tendo sister found herself blushing as the polite smattering of applause was drowned out completely by the thunderous yells of support coming from the corner of the room where the former Hive Students and the Nerimians (several a combination of both) were congregating.
"Yeah! Kasumi rocks!" Mammoth's shout was followed by shouts of encouragement as well as the odd catcall.
Reclaiming her hand, only to hold it over her heart, Kasumi waved to the towering Metahuman in the back before smiling for the whole crowd.
"We just wanted to thank you all for coming out to the first, hopefully of many, Official 'Kicking the Titans out of Their Own Tower' Party!" She giggled loudly into the microphone. "Maybe one day, we'll even invite them to one!"
Whatever reservations the group of young heroes had at the sight of a new face instantly evaporated as the entire crowd exploded with laughter.
"Archery is an anachronism for Ren Fair Losers!"
"Who said that!? I'm gonna kill them!"
"Artemis! They were making fun of Speedy!"
Kasumi hid her smile, there was no way the irate archers would be able to pick Gizmo's tiny profile out of this crowd. To be fair, Cyborg probably would have yelled the same thing.
"Sure, laugh it up!" Speedy barked irately, "I'll throw down with anyone here… that isn't an immortal alien or demigod, anyway."
Even more laughter sounded out, a noticeable number pointing at the increasingly annoyed Kryptonian and (Greek) Amazon in the crowd.
Having a lot of fun, but not wanting to lose the crowd yet, Kasumi held up her hands, and the group of rowdy neo-adults started to quiet down.
"To properly welcome you all, Speedy and I have prepared a little bit of entertainment to kick things off."
The faces in the front row looked up at them, a bit confused, until Kasumi picked up the second microphone from the karaoke stand and handed it to her partner. She nodded to Terra, over by the computer to cue up the song.
"I don't wanna sing anymore!" Speedy whispered loudly.
"You already agreed, you can't back out now."
"I only agreed because you started batting your eyes at me!"
"You mean, like this?"
"Argh, damnit, not fair!"
Somewhere in the crowd, an alien super being with great hearing exploded with gales of laughter. Everyone else proceeded to look at Supergirl like she was crazy. Not understanding anything that was going on, the tiny geokinetic shrugged her shoulders and hit the play button.
Seven piano chords sounded, only to be repeated. It was a song Kasumi did not know, and the tune didn't seem to strike a chord with anyone in their young audience, but Speedy had been super excited when he chose this song. After hearing it herself, she found she agreed that it was simply perfect.
Together, in surprising harmony - she didn't realize the young ginger archer had any talent - they began to sing.
"Making your way in the world today, takes everything you got."
The eldest Tendo looked over the crowd and spotted her sister sharing a drink with that young man, Jericho. She always had said that it would be better if men couldn't talk.
"Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot."
Shampoo was back with her two blonde friends, chatting amongst themselves as they swayed with the music. She couldn't wait to get the Amazon and Nabiki up here for a song or two.
"Wouldn't you like to get away?"
Ryouga and Jinx were on opposite sides of the room, one continually glancing at the other, only to be caught, look away, and then reverse the process. Oh, she would deal with them soon enough.
"Sometimes you wanna go"
She glanced at the young man to her side and smiled as he nodded back at her. Maybe just maybe, he wasn't that much like Ranma after all.
"Where everybody knows your name!"
Ryouga could only shake his head in amazement. Who would have thought that Speedy could sing? Still, Kasumi and the archer had certainly looked like they were having fun, and now there was a lineup waiting for the karaoke machine. Stargirl was already bouncing on stage to a high energy pop song.
Still, there were some people he was long overdue talking to, and thanks to the distinctiveness of the pair, it didn't take him too long to find them. They were sitting in the kitchenette, hunched over the island. In fact, it looked like-
Wait just a second!
Hurrying over, Ryouga slapped a hand down on the counter. The sudden jolt snapped the two back to attention and they looked up to stare at him in a bit of shock.
"Gizmo," he said with great cheer and a fanged grin.
"Mammoth," he muttered with glacial chill.
The titular Mammoth, apparently already a few drinks in, eyed Ryouga after his chilly reception, before throwing his arms up in the air in frustration.
"My God, we get it, Ryouga!" Mammoth rolled his eyes and swung his arms around as he railed on sarcastically. "I almost knocked Jinx into the Pool of Drowned Rutabaga, a tragic tale of a Rutabaga that was carelessly dropped by a foolish farmer and rolled into the spring a thousand years ago! Would you get over it already?"
Gizmo looks up from the project he was currently working on. "Wait, she's not a rutabaga? I coulda swore she at least had one in her skull."
The three of them glanced around nervously for a second, but there were no flashes of pink and the building hadn't started collapsing around them, so the trio assumed they were safe for now.
Despite himself, Ryouga couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all, dropping himself down on a stool across from the tall metahuman. "You know, I think it's crazy, but people keep telling me that I have a problem with holding grudges." He held out his hand towards the ginger villain. "But it's a special occasion, and you did bring Jinx here, so why don't we bury the hatchet? What do ya say, big guy?"
Mammoth looked at him suspiciously for a bit before a wide grin split his face nearly in half. Reaching out, he grabbed Ryouga's hand with both of his and shook it vigorously.
"About time, Lost Boy! Us Non-Flying Bricks need to stick together!" Mammoth suddenly pulled him forward and started whispering in a low voice. "And now I can finally get some advice from ya about Kasumi!"
"Uhhh…"
"Hey, speaking about the Scarecrow and people with Rutabagas in their head," Gizmo suddenly cut in. The diminutive genius pointed an accusing finger Ryouga's way. "Why the frek haven't you talked to Jinx yet? Don't get me wrong, I don't wanna see you guys sucking face, or anything, but she frellin went through hell to see you again."
Mammoth crossed his arms over his massive chest and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you owe her a lot more than some lame ass stuttering before freezin' up like a deer in headlights."
And there it was. Ryouga gave a long, forlorn sigh. "I know that," he admitted weakly. "But I've been acting like an idiot all night, and now every second I hesitate, I feel like more of an idiot, and I feel like I need to think of something even better to say to make things right."
He banged his head on the counter - Cyborg would be able to buff out the dent later. "But every time I think of something to say, it just sounds stupid, and then we get back to the whole spiral of depression thing."
Gizmo nodded sagely. "It is kinda your hallmark. We might need to bring in the big guns here."
"You know that I can't afford Nabiki's interest rates!"
The three villains in training (one mostly reformed), nodded in unison at the basic truth Ryouga had spoken. Frankly, the Hibiki scion just wasn't ready to talk this out yet, especially not with any Tendo sisters. He had enough romantic trauma with that family as it was. He just needed a suitable deflection, thankfully, Gizmo was already working on it.
"So… what exactly are you doing to my umbrella, anyway?"
Gizmo looked up at him and grinned. "Heh, I figured the big blue dork made this for you. Some of the features on this thing are stuff that moron wouldn't ever use himself."
Ryouga shrugged. His combat style was pretty unique to his knowledge, so he shouldn't have been surprised. He should also stop leaving the thing laying around the building now that he thought about it.
"So, what are you doing to it, anyway?" He wasn't exactly worried about Gizmo trying to screw him over, but even as reckless as Cyborg was with his tech, he could appear like a model scientist when compared to Gizmo.
The bald inventor absently picked up an odd little assembly, looked at it for a moment, before tossing it carelessly over his shoulder into the sink. "That snot munching dork actually put a flamethrower in your umbrella? Obviously, that needs to go."
The fanged fighter nodded. He'd never been a fan of that feature himself.
"I mean, pretty much everyone you run into these days is flameproof anyway," groused the micro genius, "So I'm swapping it out for a Disintegrator Cannon! Now that will give you the punch you need!"
"A wha-? No! That's so much worse than the flame thrower!" Ryouga had seen one too many disintegration cannons in his life already… and he'd only seen the one so far.
Gizmo looked ready to argue, before just throwing up his hands in disgust. "Oh fine, ya big baby. Don't let me have any fun. I'm sure I got something else I can jam in there that Narc Kasumi didn't confiscate."
Mammoth let out a disgruntled blast of air from his nostrils, but Gizmo just waved him off.
"I'm not putting the flamethrower back in, though," Gizmo chuckled to himself. "Wouldn't want to get you sued by Cobblepot if you ever ran into him."
"Wait, you know Mr. Cobblepot?" Ryouga asked, a bit shocked at the small world.
Gizmo looked up at him like he was crazy. "Of course, he used to be big in the villain circles. Wait, how do you know him?"
Ryouga shrugged. "I ran into him at his club awhile back. Real nice guy, actually. He even did me a huge favor."
The pair of villains stared at each other, then at him, their expressions incredulous.
Mammoth rolled his eyes, gesturing to Ryouga. "Can you believe this guy? Not even through his first year at the Academy, and already hanging out with an A-Lister? What are we doing wrong?"
"And what favor would he have possibly done for a scrub like you?" Gizmo asked, equally annoyed.
He smiled fondly, holding a hand over his heart. "He got me in contact with Jinx for the first time since the Academy went down. She had actually met him too and got him to record a message for me." He sighed longingly, recalling the video as if he'd watched it minutes ago. "He got Kasumi to smuggle it in and everything. Ah, it was the sweetest message ever, almost brought me to tears."
Instantly, his old classmates donned predatory expressions. "You mean Jinx sent you a sappy love video?" Gizmo asked, nearly salivating at the thought.
"You have to let us watch it!" Mammoth all but bellowed. "We haven't had good blackmail on Jinx in forever!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't even think about it," Ryouga barked. "Jinx would kill me if anyone else saw it."
"A secret message that Jinx would kill for? Now that sounds valuable."
The unexpected voice drew the Lost Boy's attention to the side. Inexplicably, Nabiki was standing next to them, and he could practically see that yen signs in her eyes. He surged to his feet and slammed a hand to the counter - Sorry Cyborg! - and put his foot down.
"Don't even think about it, Nabiki! It would be way too embarrassing for Jinx."
"Something embarrassing for Bad Luck Girl! Ryouga show us right now!"
Ryouga did a double take as, between blinks, Shampoo was suddenly standing next to Nabiki, a wicked grin on her lips.
Panic began to overtake him, until he remembered a basic fact. Grinning cockily, he glanced away nonchalantly.
"Feh, it doesn't even matter. The disc is in my room, and there is no way that any of us could find that before morning."
"What's that? You guys need something from Ryouga's room? I can show you where it is."
Ryouga's eyes snapped open in terror, noting Terra now standing next to Shampoo, her expression clueless, but hopeful and helpful. The absolute worst possible combination in their current company.
Nabiki, Shampoo, Gizmo and Mammoth all stared at Terra for a moment, then at Ryouga, only to lock their gazes on Terra once more. An instant later, all four of them latched onto the tiny blonde Titan and, as one, picked her up and bolted for the nearest exit.
Ryouga was after them a second later, panic giving him wings.
"Terra, don't listen to them!"
Blackfire muttered under her breath as she glided back to her personal chamber. Despite this supposedly being her day of ultimate triumph, she was inexplicably having a lousy time of it. Nothing was playing out as she had predicted, and frankly, she was not getting the emotional payoffs she had been counting on.
She floated around a corner and saw the ornate door that led to her chamber. It was flanked on either side by one of the elite Royal Guard, handpicked by herself, of course. However, they were not alone. The empress felt her face twist up with frustration.
And then there's this nuisance to deal with.
It was that abjectly shrunken and ancient human (probably?) that had tried to speak to her at the ceremony earlier. She was standing impassively a respectable distance from one of the guards, gnarled wooden staff held in her hand.
Not even wanting to deal with whatever nonsense this was, Blackfire just fired a heated glare at the old crone, flashing her destructive plasmatic aura for a moment as she glided past and into her room. She didn't bother to watch for the pathetic human to scurry away from the awesome display of power.
She slammed the door behind her and made her way to the Spirit Reliquary at the back of the room. Opening the large cabinet, her hand hovered over a bottle of Thanagarian Bloodwine.
Suspiciously, she glanced over one shoulder, then the other. Confirming her solitude, she instead knelt and opened the lower section of the Reliquary and pulled out a very different bottle. She popped off the cork and inhaled deeply of the scent.
Ah, Zorka Berry Juice. Her favorite drink as a little girl, but it didn't exactly scream 'Iron Fisted Ruler of a World'.
Dropping heavily into a chair next to her new bed, she just took a swig right from the bottle, enjoying the sweet and bitter notes that played on her tongue. Her eyes drifted to the small jewelry box that sat on her dresser on the far side of the room. A nice little signing bonus, that, and for such a small price.
Leaning back into her chair, she tried to rub both of her temples at the same time with only one hand but ended up just draping her fingers across her eyes. At least now she had a moment to herself, to try to determine how to turn everything around. This was her forte, the elaborate plot, she just needed to focus on her problems.
Who the drek is Ryouga?
She took another drink, then drove a knuckle into her brow. How was she supposed to focus with that stupid thought bouncing around her head? What kind of name was that? She hadn't spent that much time on Earth, but it did sound like a more Eastern Hemisphere name, from what she recalled. Come to think of it, hadn't some of the humans in the crowd earlier looked like they were from the Eastern Hemisphere, or at least some sub region of it.
Another thought occurred to her.
Now that she had time to think about it, she didn't recall hearing that wizened old woman squawk in terror, or scurry away, now had she? Morbid curiosity growing, she floated back to the door of her chamber. Popping the door open just enough to peek her head through, she spotted the tiny little human still standing there, her expression not having changed since Blackfire's display.
She frowned at the sight, but the shrunken female did not make any move to acknowledge her staring.
Gesturing to the guard to her side, she pointed to the old woman. "Get rid of her, she's bothering me."
Content that her problem was now dealt with, she closed the door and leaned against it. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the guard performing his duty just outside her room.
"You heard the Empress, ancient one. You need to lea-"
The abrupt silence prompted her to snap her eyes open. She didn't hear anything at all now. Even more curious, she spun around and popped the door open again. The old woman was still standing there, in the exact position as a moment ago. The only difference was the Royal Guard she had ordered to remove her was laying on the ground, looking to be completely unconscious.
She raised an eyebrow and turned to the other guard, who was wearing something of a shocked expression.
"What just happened?"
He shook his head, disbelief still stark on his face. "I-I don't know, Empress. Nilfiot moved to remove the trespasser, and then he just collapsed."
Blackfire looked from the shaken guard, to the unconscious guard, then to the old lady.
"Get some more guards and get rid of her, then get the physician to look at… whatever his name is."
The guard slammed a fist to his chest and bowed deeply, before lifting from the floor and flying away at high speeds.
She looked down at the old lady, who still had not moved a muscle. The diminutive gargoyle hadn't even flinched when she had given the order to bring more guards. Maybe… maybe she had expired while she stood there? She certainly looked old enough.
Shrugging, she closed the door and pulled up a chair next to the door. She enjoyed more of her juice as she waited for her favorite sounds of violence to begin.
Several minutes passed until she heard something.
"For the Empress!"
"Wait, you brought us here for her?"
"I hope someone brought a dustpan! She looks like she will crumble if we touch her."
Blackfire grinned at that one. Whoever that guard was, she was definitely getting a promotion. The sounds of laughter and joking grew louder as the group of soldiers no doubt bore down on the ancient relic.
Unlike last time, things did not go instantly silent. Instead, the jovial laughter transformed into shouts of surprise, then anger, quickly descending into terror. Great 'whooshes' of displaced air were audible even through the door, as well as the staccato sounds of stone on stone like an automatic weapon firing. It was quickly followed by the sounds of heavy objects slamming into various surfaces.
Blackfire knew the sounds of bodies hitting the floor quite well at this point.
Getting up slowly, the tiniest shred of anxiety settling in her chest, she cracked the door open one more time and glanced out.
Rather than one unconscious guard, there were now seven scattered across the hallway. Some of them sprawled on the floor, a few embedded into walls. The lone female guard seemed to have gotten the worst of it and was now dangling from the light fixture hanging from the ceiling. In the middle of it all, now perched on the top of her staff like some form of avian creature, was the little old woman, her eyes still closed.
"You know," Blackfire noted, "If you're here to assassinate me, you are being really passive-aggressive about it."
Finally, the perching gargoyle opened her eyes, and looked up at Blackfire, her wood like face twisting up into a grin.
"I can assure you, Grand Ruler, that I have no intention of harming you. I merely wish to discuss a matter of importance with you."
Blackfire considered the old woman's words, noted all the unconscious guards, then shrugged. If she'd wanted a fight, Blackfire would already be in the thick of it, she had no doubt.
"You know what? Fine. I've had a pretty lousy day so far, so I could use a good laugh."
With that, she flung open her door to the diminutive terror.
Cologne smiled as she hopped off her staff and shuffled after the tall alien warrior. She noted several things as she walked. The fact that the Empress was also walking, rather than gliding echoed her admission of being in a less than pleasant mood. The bottle that was clutched in her hand - she did not smell alcohol, which meant little on an alien world - but it was a different fragrance then the liquid served at the feast. The way the erstwhile Empress slumped into her chair, beckoning Cologne to sit across from her.
Now just what could have the Grand Ruler of this planet so upset?
"So, what is this all about then, human?" Blackfire dropped the bottle onto the table between them, only to lean forward and steeple her fingers together.
"I come as a representative of the Joketsuzoku village," she replied easily.
A look of confusion swept across the young woman's face, only to be brushed away as realization dawned on her face. "Oh! That little backwater village that Starfire made an alliance with?"
Cologne nodded, grinning vindictively. "Yes, I recall you referring to us as 'a gaggle of mud dwelling stone chuckers'."
Blackfire chuckled. "You heard that, did you?" Rather than look embarrassed, the empress held a hand over her heart, a genuine smile on her face. "I'm glad. Insulting people to their faces makes it so much more enjoyable."
The amazon elder rolled her eyes. This child could even give her son-in-law a run for his money in disrespecting one's elders.
"Be that as it may, I am certain you can imagine why I am here, and what I wish to discuss."
Her host rolled her vivid violet eyes. "Yes, yes, no doubt you've come, crawling on your knees, to beg me for scraps from Tamaran's table."
"Please, there is no need for such dramatics," the Elder sighed. "My people are not so primitive as you believe. Nor are we without other useful allies."
Cologne bowed her head respectfully. "At the same time, I would be a fool to not investigate your reasoning for dissolving our treaty. I will not lie and say that the idea of losing a partnership with a people so well aligned to ours, and of such great power, would not be a tremendous loss."
Blackfire rested her chin on an upraised palm, lifting an eyebrow in amusement.
"Giving full acknowledgement that the agreement between our peoples would be of far greater benefit to ourselves," Cologne admitted.
"Well, at least you admit it. I can respect enlightened self interest." Blackfire offered up a throaty chuckle. "So then, I've got a few hours before marrying off my sister, and I could do with some company that isn't either terrified of me or hates my guts. Do you want the short version, or would you prefer an exhaustive explanation of what a moron Starfire is for even coming up with such a thing?"
The Elder paused at that, as it always seemed to circle back around to the same thing with this girl. Honestly, it was a lot like dealing with Ryouga back in his earlier days in Nerima. However, as unhinged as his vendetta had been, she could not deny some of his reasons.
"Perhaps, if I am not being too presumptuous," she hopped up onto the arm rest of her chair, so that she could rest her hands on the table. "Would you be willing to explain this animosity between yourself and your sister? I have heard many comments on the current… tension, but no one has explained why things are thus."
The young warrior stared at her impassively for several long moments, perhaps debating internally whether she should be insulted, or yearning for the chance to vent on a painful subject.
As was usual in such situations, it appeared her host decided to go with the latter.
"Hmph. Actually interested in my side of the story, instead of just joining the bandwagon with everyone else? I have to say, this is a novel concept, I'm not even certain where I would begin."
The matriarch smiled knowingly. "I have been on the wrong side of said 'bandwagon' myself. There are many that dismiss the actions of myself and my Great Granddaughter with little concern for our own motives. Besides, a greater understanding between us would allow us to forge a more suitable agreement between our peoples, if you were so inclined."
A cackle escaped her throat. "As for where to begin, I find the beginning is usually the best."
"Ha! Rolling out the ancient clichés already I see." Abruptly, the Tamaranean woman rose from her seat, and moved towards what looked to be a very well stocked liquor cabinet. Reaching in, she pulled out a large bottle, seemed to think about it, then pulled out a second as well. She then grasped a pair of crystalline goblets between her fingers and placed them all on the table between them.
"Thanagarian Bloodwine and Euphorian Ale, if you are a fan of domestic brands. If we are going to talk about my past, we are going to need something powerful to help." Surprisingly polite, the empress then filled one glass with each of the spirits and gestured for Cologne to choose first.
Never having been much of a beer drinker, she opted for the wine (hopefully it was wine, and not just some quirk across multiple translations). The bouquet was strong, as advertised, and, despite being an alien drink, smelled oddly familiar. The taste reminded her of something she had during one of her trips through… where was it… Egypt? Odd coincidence, that.
Taking a drink from her own glass, Blackfire tossed her long raven locks over her shoulder and leaned back into her chair.
"Begin at the beginning? I suppose that is actually a good place to start my story," the alien empress stared intently into her glass, donning a self-deprecating grin. "After all, I think I can say, without any doubts, that no one has ever had a birthday as tragic as my own."
Raven suddenly sneezed. Instantly, she clapped a hand over her face and looked around, hoping that no one heard her. Luckily, this corridor was strangely bereft of guards for some reason.
Now, if what she had overheard was true, Blackfire's room should be at the end of the hall.
"Let us see, ah yes, it was a most auspicious occasion, you see? I was the first princess to be born in over a century. There was much celebration," Blackfire recited, still smiling that sad smile of hers.
Cologne was aghast at the idea. A century without a proper female child among the royal family? That was just… irresponsible! "So, there was some special significance to your birth then?"
The tall woman shrugged her shoulders. "Not really. Just a fluke of genetics. My standing in the family would have been no different had I been born male." She grinned once more. "Tamaraneans rarely need much pretense to celebrate, though."
A moment later, the smile dropped from her face. "Unfortunately, someone else noticed, and decided to join our revelry in their own… twisted way." Blackfire took another long drink before slamming her cup to the table. Leaning back into her seat, she flung her arms wide open.
"Imagine my parents' shock when the Citadel launched a surprise attack on Tamaran in the midst of our planet wide revelry. The bastards pressed their attack so furiously that they crashed the flaming hull of one of their warships into the surface, wiping out an entire city and millions of its citizens."
Cologne's eyes grew wide. "That, that is horrifying. Such utter madness."
"Oh, no, it gets better!" Blackfire barked out morbid laughter. "After the rest of their attack was repulsed, their Emperor sent a message declaring the act to be his gift to honor the birth of Tamaran's new princess."
She did not have words to describe what she thought of such a vile insult. Luckily, she did not have to say anything, as Blackfire bulled on, her chest heaving as she nearly tripped over her own words.
"Do you know what it is like to have your entire race associate you with one of the greatest tragedies in your planet's entire history?" Though the Empress was trying to play sarcastic, it was impossible for Cologne to miss the tightening of her host's eyes at some long-forgotten memory. "For some of them to actively blame you for it, since 'if you weren't born, they wouldn't have destroyed Kysarr'?"
The ancient warrior could only shake her head. She had known traitors, and villains, and had seen the innocent wronged before, but this was a scale of atrocity she simply wasn't accustomed to dealing with.
Blackfire's breaths were coming in ragged gasps, until she forced herself to calm down and take another drink from her glass. Sitting down once more, the dark empress gave a small chirp of laughter.
"Anyway, once that bit of business was done with, the next few years of my life were actually fairly normal." Blackfire rolled her wrist dismissively. "Shielded from a public that hated me, raised by a K'norfka away from my busy parents, all quite standard things for the royal life."
Cologne took another drink herself, not exactly sure how to interject into this conversation.
"When I was only a few years old, Starfire was finally born. And, now that I think of it, for those first years, we actually got along well…" It was odd to see the fond smile on the face of the woman that so professed to hate her sister. "Perhaps it was because most of that time she was just a blubbering infant… but then she never really grew out of that, so probably something else."
The old Amazon allowed herself a small grin at that. "I can certainly see that you had a harrowing youth, but it seems that it has little to actually do with your sister."
Blackfire's eyes narrowed, and her grin took on a shark like quality. "Oh, that comes next. Some background first, though. There is a disease on Tamaran-" She rolled her eyes. "Well, obviously there are many, we haven't mastered life and death like the Oans, but there is one particular disease that afflicts nearly ten percent of all Tamaraneans.
"The name would mean nothing to you, the effect is what is important. You see, this disease interferes with the ability of a Tamaranean to absorb and process radiation. There are a number of 'categories' of severity. Most afflicted are just a bit weaker than most, some slower in flight, others suffer other underlying health problems."
Cologne could see where she was going. "Am I to understand that you were afflicted as well?"
"You assume correctly… actually, I don't think I got your name."
"My name is Khu Lon, but most seem more comfortable pronouncing it Cologne. Our village has grown use to lazy foreigners mispronouncing names."
Her host shrugged. "I just introduced you to a sack of literal garbage named Glgrdsklechhh. Trust me, in the galactic core, making fun of people's names went out of fashion millions of years ago."
The thought, and the, perhaps unintended, sentiment of courtesy brought a smile to Cologne's lips. "I appreciate your words, but please, continue."
Blackfire scratched her chin for a moment. "Ah, right. I was afflicted with the disease but judging just from what you have heard so far, I'm sure you can imagine just how well things proceeded with my luck."
Hmm, maybe if this young woman had been present during Ryouga's Soul of Ice training, he would have progressed even faster than he had with Starfire. Well, that or they would have killed each other. Either way, it would have been a much more entertaining week!
"I feel compelled to ask if there is a 'worst' category for this disease."
The empress bore that self-deprecating grin once more. "An astute observation. I was struck by the rarest, most severe strain of the disease. I was rendered completely unable to process radiation at all."
Her face fell into a rictus of pain. "I could not even fly any longer."
Cologne could only shake her head, seeing how enamored of flight the race was, it would be akin to a warrior born unable to generate any form of battle aura at all. No amount of training could ever hope to overcome such a crippling weakness.
Blackfire took a long breath to calm herself. Absently, she plucked at her raven black hair. "The physicians had only given me a year to live, actually. And it was during those first few weeks of the illness that my hair and eyes changed to these unnatural colors." She chuckled darkly. "It was somewhat poetic even. Now I was visibly marked as the pariah that everyone already considered me."
Tubes… there were tubes everywhere. They trailed over her small body, chaining her to the bed more firmly than any metal binding could. Every few minutes, she was nearly blinded as intense light flooded the room. Trying to 'jump start' her system, whatever that meant. Every time the lights dimmed, and the countless machines yet again failed to register any change, the throng of physicians that loomed at the far side of the room would mutter amongst themselves in hushed voices.
Komand'r squeezed her eyes shut as the burning lights came again. As they receded, she turned her head to the side, struggling against the pain and lethargy for even that minor movement.
She wished she had failed, as she found herself looking at one of the refraction mirrors for the radiation system. The sight of a monster looking back at her twisted her stomach and clenched her heart. Red hair, brilliant as the setting sun, darkened into inky black halfway up its length to the crown of her head. One brilliant emerald eye sat beside another hideously discolored orb, a mottled mixture of muddy brown and livid violet.
The tears streaming down the freak's face as her shoulders hitched uncontrollably only highlighted how pathetic the creature in the mirror was. And the worst thing of all, the worst thing-
Even if the treatment did start to work, she still wouldn't be able to fly. A single glance at her new face burned any trace of joy from her heart.
Cologne reached for her glass, needing a drink after watching the array of emotions that flashed across her host's face… only to pause as something flickered on the edge of her perception. A quick glance to her companion revealed no trace of realization on her face, lost in her recollections of the past. She schooled herself to hide the smile that threatened to bloom.
Interesting, quite interesting.
"So, Cologne, coming from a culture that so treasure's strength. Why don't you tell me what you think my parents did in reaction to their eldest daughter falling deathly ill?"
Hmm, an interesting question. She did not know as much of the Tamaranean people as she would have liked, spending most of her time in Metropolis with Luthor. However, the question was quite leading, and if her hunch were correct, this could be the lynchpin which tied everything together.
"I must assume that your parents took advantage of your weakness to remove a deeply unpopular crown princess from the line of succession, naming the younger and untainted Starfire the new heir to the throne."
Blackfire's eyes widened in surprise and she sat, stunned for a moment. "Perhaps I underestimated you, Cologne. To be able to even imagine such a ruthless decision is beyond most of the soft-hearted fools that I know."
Again, Cologne watched as her companion's eyes drifted off to look into nothing, a grimace eclipsing her face.
Komand'r stood side by side with her young sister, Koriand'r. It was rare for them to spend time together these days, and all but unheard of for them to be presented to the public like this. The young crown princess felt something akin to… excitement stirring in her chest as she stood on the balcony, overlooking the massive crowd of her subjects.
Behind her stood her parents, both watching with flat, expressionless faces. Looking to her side, her flame-haired sister smiled that giddy, empty-headed smile of hers, doing her absolute best to not float off the ground while standing right next to her afflicted sister. Before her, the thousands of citizens stood in an odd silence.
Was her father finally presenting her to her future subjects, after having hidden her from public view for so long? It was hard to concentrate as she looked out over the crowd, studying one face after another, striving to find someone, anyone that looked a tiny bit like herself.
She wasn't even listening as her father began to speak in that booming voice of his. There just wasn't anyone with hair as dark as hers in the crowd, and not a single soul with eyes anything but green. What she did notice, though, as her father's speech continued, was the blooming of broad smiles on the faces of many of the audience.
A few words finally filtered through her distraction, as she heard her own name, and then her sister's. Curious, she looked over to her sister, to see her near-permanent smile was gone, and her feet planted firmly on the ground. She was almost tempted to ask why-
Large, calloused hands came to gently rest on either side of her head, only to lift up a moment later, brushing her ears as they did.
She didn't even notice the crown being lifted from her brow, until it was carried a step to the side, and lowered once more onto the waiting head of Koriand'r. Komand'r could only stare in shock, as the rest of her father's words rang through her skull.
Disinherited… Removed from succession… Stripped of rank…
Slowly, Komand'r turned to look over the crowd of her never-to-be subjects.
Oh, how they cheered.
A dark seed she had not even known was planted deep in her heart soon found ample succor to germinate.
"Ours is a very pragmatic people as well, Empress. I am no stranger to making difficult decisions to ensure the survival of my village," Cologne admitted solemnly. A moment later, she tapped her chin. "But I am curious. Why did you not challenge your sister for the throne once you recovered from your illness?"
The darkly clad warrior stared back at her owlishly for a moment, before chuckling to herself. "Your first wrong guess, ancient one. I never did recover. I spent most of my life hiding in the shadow cast by the rising star of my sister. I was so weak and pathetic even though I trained myself tirelessly just to survive, that I was not even sent to train with the Warlords of Okarra until they decided to send her there."
Yet another name to add to the seemingly endless list of alien races that populated this region. A rite of passage, perhaps? It seemed important to the young woman, despite her jaded tone. Still, the grudge made sense now. She knew many people who had killed, and worse, for far less. She was confused about one thing, though.
"You say you never recovered? But you fly now and possess power even greater than the young Starfire. How can that be?"
Blackfire nodded, "All in good time, my friend. First, there was Okarra, and then what followed. I am certain you would not be surprised to hear me admit I loathe this world and its people. Almost as much as I hate her."
Cologne could only shake her head sadly. She had known many outcasts in her life that had lived their lives knowing only hatred and returning it tenfold. Granted, this Blackfire would be the first princess she would know to live as such, but then, she had lived a long life, it was bound to come up some time.
"I… acted foolishly on Okarra," Blackfire admitted, "My hatred only grew with each passing day as we trained. To watch my mewling little sister excel in every way while I struggled just to trail behind. One day, while we sparred in the depths of Okarra, I lost myself to rage."
The ancient warrior sighed. "It must have been a one-sided battle."
"Too true. Though-" The empress grinned darkly, "Boosting one's speed is not a power Tamaraneans possess. And strength matters much less when wielding a sharp enough blade. My sister did not escape the battle unbloodied."
A savage swing of the blade sent a stream of green blood arcing through the darkness of the ancient cavern. The cry of pain as Koriand'r clutched her thigh and collapsed to the ground was like music. Komand'r's pulse pounded furiously in her ears, as she kicked her sister's sword into the nearby chasm.
A feeling that she had never felt before surged in her chest… exhalation, success. Finally, after so many years, finally she would know the taste of victory. She said something, the words already a blur in her mind, her fury carrying her forward on instinct alone. Her sword flipped in her hand, its green stained tip pointing down towards her fallen sister.
With one last howl, she thrust down with all her might-
Only to watch her blade shatter as Koriand'r suddenly soared forward, swinging out with her far superior strength, catching the blade on her armored bracer. An instant later, her fist slammed into Komand'r's chest, blasting every last molecule of air from her lungs. Even as she heard her ribs snap, she was lifted bodily from the ground and sent flying.
She heard a shout, shock and panic, rather than heated rage, as she watched the ground fall away beneath her. Frantic, she clawed, grasped uselessly for anything as she felt gravity take a hold of her. She screamed in terror as she fell, helpless to save herself from the one thing that no true Tamaranean had ever feared.
And then everything went black.
"However, in the end, I lost… everything."
"You were banished?"
"I was banished. I must say, you are good at this." Blackfire laughed a genuine laugh. "Of course, with nowhere else to go, it was then that I joined the Citadel. Even a crippled Tamaranean was still useful to them, especially one with my knowledge. I advanced quickly within their ranks."
"And then came the invasion," Cologne stated.
"Ah, I see you heard this part already. That was something of a high point for me, so let's skip ahead to answer your earlier question, about my miraculous recovery."
A brief memory of the earlier dinner flitted through the old woman's mind. "Ah yes, something about 'Psions', and experiments."
Reaching forward, the empress poured herself another glass of the translucent ale. Whereas Starfire had worn a haunted look at the mention of the word, Blackfire instead wore a broad grin. "I've no doubt that my sister told you about the terrible tortures we endured, and what a traumatic experience it was, and how evil our captors were. And for her, I'm sure it was terrible. After all, tampering with perfection is a sin."
"For myself, though," she let out a contented sigh, "It was not torture, it was rebirth. I was consumed, purified. As if they bathed me in the light of X'hal herself, the black affliction within me was burned away, giving way to something new, something better."
Taking another sip, and waiting as Cologne did the same herself, Blackfire laughed again. "The Psions had always had so many theories as to why I had grown so much stronger than my sister. Simple maturity. The theory that the disease had strained my system so badly that it had grown super efficient just to keep me alive on trace amounts of radiation." She shook her head. "Personally, I think it was because, after a lifetime of having every good thing stripped away from me, there was simply nothing left but emptiness to fill."
"And so, we come full circle," Cologne said, her voice tinged with sadness. "It pains me to hear the story of two sisters, torn apart by circumstances beyond their own control. Though I feel that your sister is very much a victim in all of this as well. I must say, neither condemning, nor condoning, that I can understand why you committed the acts you did."
Oddly enough, Cologne could feel a shift in her companion's entire aura, almost as if a weight were lifting, even if only an incremental amount. Blackfire let out a long, shuddering sigh.
"I must say… that felt strangely cathartic, finally being able to say all of that to someone." Blackfire's eyes narrowed. "It changes nothing of course, but I appreciate the ear, at any rate."
"I appreciate you humoring an old woman like that, Empress. At least now I know something of the person with whom I would bargain. Though, I admit to some confusion. With your disdain for this planet its people, why return at all, let alone to rule?"
The Tamaranean shrugged helplessly. "For all that it has wronged me, it is still my home. And it could be so much more than it is, under the right guidance."
Abruptly, Blackfire gestured to Cologne with a single finger. "Which begs me to ask the question. Why are you so dead set on this treaty? As it stands, Tamaran can scarcely even be called a regional power, let alone an actual empire. You might think there is advantage to be had, but you are courting greater disaster than you realize, aligning yourself to us."
Ahh, and now they were truly getting into the meat of things. She met her companion's gaze evenly. "I have the feeling that you are planning to rectify that fact, Empress. And as a new colleague of mine is fond of saying, it would be exciting to get in on the ground floor of such a venture."
Blackfire chuckled darkly, resting her chin on a hand. "You are crafty. And the situation is not as… clean as it might appear. Tell me, can you guess why I led the charge against Tamaran, so long ago?"
Hmm, that she asked the question at all meant that the obvious answer, to hurt her sister and the rest who had wronged her, was not the true answer, or, at least, not the only answer. She scratched her chin in thought. She remembered it mentioned that Blackfire and her sister were taken from the Citadel, by the Psions, so it was not like she had been gifted the planet for her treachery, either.
Galfore had proudly claimed that Tamaran had stood against the Citadel for over a century, as they claimed the rest of the system… Ah, perhaps something like that. It was just a guess, even with the length of her own life, and the numerous wars she had witnessed, she still found it hard to grasp the terrifying scale of wars when they spanned the stars themselves.
"I must admit to ignorance regarding interplanetary war, but, if I were to hazard a guess… I would think that you perceived a change coming in the tide of the war, and moved to take advantage?"
Blackfire nodded, smiling indulgently. "If you weren't a friend of my sister, I think I would offer you to become an advisor. I freely admit that revenge was my main motivation, but in my time with the Citadel, I learned an inevitable truth that even I could not ignore."
Leaning forward, the Tamaranean beauty took another sip of her ale. "Tamaran held off the Citadel for a century, true. However, they were holding back an armada that was, at the time, embroiled in a war literally on twenty fronts. And few of the other races are as confrontational as us Tamaraneans." She sighed, looking weary once more. "As I rose through the ranks, I became privy to more reports of the ongoing wars. I saw, as one by one, other worlds began to fall."
"Ahh," Cologne exclaimed. "And as the number of enemies decreased, this Citadel would soon be able to focus its attention on the more troublesome obstacles to their conquest."
A sharp nod. "I knew so well, what a focused Citadel attack could do. Never once had I forgotten my gift. If they were able to begin gathering their fleets together, they would wash over Tamaran and burn it to a cinder as my idiotic kinsmen fought to the last in glorious combat." The sound of disgust in her voice at the last words resonated with Cologne, even if she did not agree.
"So, before things got that far, you suggested an alternative," Cologne surmised. "A surprise attack, to overwhelm and demoralize an otherwise staunch enemy. A scalpel, rather than a hammer, to bring your world to heel with as little devastation as possible."
"Less people died through the entirety of the invasion I led, than died on the day of my birth. I consider that my gift to Tamaran."
It was almost… sentimental of the hate filled woman she was growing to know. A masterful stroke, and one that her people would never know about.
"But then why not remain and rule as a regional governor for the Citadel?"
"I was given a simple choice by the Emperor, as reward for my service," the Grand Ruler admitted easily. "Either I could rule Tamaran in his name… or I could take my sister as my trophy, my property." Blackfire's smile grew dark and sadistic. "I do not regret my decision. We had such - such wonderful times together, before the Psions."
The ancient Joketsuzoku felt a shudder run up her spine. She would not ask what happened during those times, she would have to be content knowing whatever occurred, Starfire had survived and grown stronger from it. It was a dark reminder that, as brilliant as this young woman was, she was still dangerous.
"Part of that bargain, though, was that neither I, nor my sister, could ever return to Tamaran. If we did, we would violate the treaty that was forged, binding our world as a vassal of the Citadel," her host explained almost casually.
Cologne's eyes widened a fraction of an inch.
"But… both of you have returned. It was you, yourself, that recalled your sister. Why would you do such a thing?"
The girl actually laughed in response. "What's the matter, Cologne? I thought you wanted to be allied to Tamaran? Don't tell me the 'ground floor' is looking less attractive just because I'm courting interstellar Armageddon?"
Blackfire leaned back, covering her mouth haughtily. "I thought you were made of sterner stuff, ancient one."
It certainly looked as if the young Empress was simply mad, not even with power, just stark raving insane. But that, being the most obvious answer, made her question it as the truth once more. What was she missing, though? Why go up against an opponent whom she knew was superior, especially with Tamaran now in a critically weakened position-
Cologne's eyes flew wide open this time.
"The invasion fleet. It is not here to conquer Tamaran. You brought it here to protect it!"
At that, her host seemed to deflate, pouting petulantly. "Oh poo. You ruined my dramatic reveal. And here I thought no one would question why a fleet so large would come to invade Tamaran, when only a fraction would have sufficed."
Surprises on surprises with this one. "So, you found another empire to help you cast off the Citadel? But at what cost, and how can you be sure of their loyalty?" Another thought. "Is this, the reason for the marriage of Starfire? It is a wedding to seal your new alliance?"
Blackfire was smiling voraciously now, rising to her feet, visibly vibrating with excitement. Cologne recognized the hallmark of someone about to launch into a 'brilliant monologue' detailing their latest scheme. She got at least one a week during her meetings with Lex.
"Oh, I have been dying to tell someone about this! I am so glad that you came to see me, Cologne." She drew in a long breath. "First off, that isn't an invasion fleet. It is a drone controlled corporate security fleet! Second off, Glgrdsklechhh isn't royalty, he's the CEO of an intragalactic corporation!" She began to float around the room, gesturing excitedly. "The reason he is here, is because I offered him a contract that would grant his company access to the resources within Tamaran's region of the Vegan system, as well as access to our planet's marketplace. In exchange, they will get first access to all infrastructure contracts, as well as a foothold into the Vegan system from which to begin selling to all of the other trillion sentients that live here."
Blackfire continued to circle her, laughing again. "Think of it, the Vegan system has been deemed off-limits by the Green Lanterns-" She nearly choked on the words before continuing "-for all of recorded history. This is virgin territory as far as the intergalactic markets are concerned, they just never had someone to invite them in before! Glgrdsklechhh's company is set to amass more wealth than I can even imagine, and he will fast track Tamaran's restoration beyond anything the Citadel would ever allow."
It took some effort, but Cologne managed to hold in her laughter, certain it would be misinterpreted. So, the erstwhile leader of a tiny regional power, vastly overshadowed by the less than friendly empire which controlled the region where they were located, has reached out to a foreign corporate interest, leveraging the ambition of the outsider to uplift her people into something worthy of respect on the world/galactic stage?
Cologne had never wanted to adopt a woman into the tribe more than she did at this moment! Spinning around in her chair, certain that her eyes were dancing with delight, she noticed her host leaning casually against her dresser, her long fingers dancing along the lid of a jewelry box.
"Only two things occur to me. A drone fleet? You mean to say there is no army with them?"
Blackfire shrugged. "This is interstellar warfare, a ship in the sky is worth a million feet on the ground. We need to repel hostile fleets. If the fleet falls, then no number of soldiers will stop an orbital bombardment."
Hmm, the old warrior supposed that made sense. The logic was the same as facing off against the PRC. Even the most powerful of esoteric arts could do little against artillery launched from miles away. It was one of the reasons they remained so secluded. No matter how much terror they could unleash on untrained foes, a village of several hundred could never hope to stand against the combined might of over a billion.
"The second thing… is that I am not certain how your sister's wedding ties into this. It sounds like your entire bargain was already settled without ever mentioning her."
The darkly clad alien woman picked up the jewelry box and held it before her, stroking it like one might a cat. "It appears that you caught me, Cologne. Once again, I let my feelings get the best of me. You see, I saw something that I just simply had to have… so, I traded my sister for a shiny bead."
Cologne lifted an eyebrow. "I'm not sure if that is a metaphor, or if you actually-"
Her words trailed off, as Blackfire opened the small box, and virulent violet light poured forth, washing over the Tamaranean's face. It cast eerie highlights over the manic smile that now covered her face. Reaching into the box, she pulled out a gem, similar in size to a golf ball, but blood red, only to clip it onto the clasp of her cloak.
Instantly, the aged warrior leapt from her seat and crossed her staff before her as a wave of raw force blasted out from Blackfire's entire body. She could feel the power emanating from the alien being, no longer even glowing violet, but transgressing even higher into the spectrum, blazing with unseen fury.
Was it wrong, that she briefly considered the idea of breeding Blackfire with Herb, just to see what godlike creature they might spawn?
Blackfire laughed again, tapping the stone on her bosom. "The jewel of Charta. A nice prize for the low-low cost of one sister, wouldn't you agree?"
Cologne held her position, not certain how to proceed from here. It was difficult to gauge her opponent's new strength, not with how it surged out of her in a torrent, yet she did not even seem to be exerting herself.
"Now, I have a question for you, Old Cologne," Blackfire spoke loftily, drawing a finger across her lips. "Now that I have revealed all my machinations to a sworn ally of my hated sister, why exactly would I ever allow you to leave this room alive?"
A good question, and one she might have considered herself, had their positions been reversed. But how to thread this needle without being drawn into a battle that would certainly destroy much of this palace, as well as draw down the entirety of Tamaran's armies on the heads of herself and her companions?
Another surge of power began to coalesce in the room, and suddenly a plan crystalized in Cologne's mind.
"I renounce Starfire and her friends," she declared forcefully, "For the greater good of the Joketsuzoku."
For a moment, the entire room grew silent, all the gathering powers stilled. Blackfire stared at her incredulously, obviously having never expected such a response.
"You… you would abandon Starfire, and join me?" The idea of stripping away her sister's friends and claiming them as her own was no doubt intoxicating to the spiteful warrior, and her face reflected it. A moment later, she let out a derisive bark of laughter, swiping her hand through the air as the invisible pressure began to build once more.
"And how could I possibly trust a word you say? You would say anything to avoid death!"
Rather than reply, Cologne moved.
Quickly for the uninitiated, but far too slow to the shrunken Matriarch's eyes, Blackfire lifted a hand, to unleash her new power, but she was already past her. A single bounce launched her from floor, zipping through the air, and she lashed out with her staff, a single, precise strike.
The unfortunate liquor cabinet was blasted through the far wall, the explosion rocking the entire room and revealing the room beyond, as well as the one beyond that, and the one beyond that. That was the power of an off the cuff attack? Cologne was not certain she wanted to see her full power now.
Blackfire, for her part, looked around in confusion. No doubt she had expected a lighting fast attack to lay her low and had reacted in panic. Finally, she spun around to where Cologne now stood, and the Empress' eyes grew wide in shock.
Grinning widely, Cologne tapped the comatose form of Raven, now laying at her feet.
"Perhaps this will suffice as a token of good faith?"
The confusion on Blackfire's face only compounded, moment after moment, as she tried to sort out just what it was that had happened. Soon enough, though, that confusion melted away.
And then the Grand Ruler smiled.