Chapter Four : Sister's Bonded
Raven's taste and Robin's practicality really did amaze me. The head-to-toe mirror in Starfire's room held my reflection and although I was completely against mirrors in the unreasonable paranoia of mirror-majicks, I had to stand there for several minutes and admire myself. The old tatters of my old life were being burned on the roof- another unreasonable paranoia- and the new material on my skin felt as wonderful as hot showers were. Starfire and Raven sat on the princess's bed admiring the outcome with obvious excitement. Raven smiled when I had thanked her- that was before I even saw the outfit- and her faced had not changed since. The other Titans were in the main room. I wasn't sure if they cared what I looked like but Starfire seemed anxious to show the others my transformation.
Although it took a whole week to finalize the uniform, it was worth it. I was particularly picky about certain aspects about the design. It needed to fit perfect and it needed to be the exact opposite of what I use to wear. No more Rokakas. No more need to hide.
Brown leather boots clad my feet, very much designed like Robin's for the purpose of aerial attacks, or running for my life. Dark gray slim, form-fitting pants clung to me comfortable. There were no pockets like my other set, but that just meant I would have to store my arsenal somewhere else. The light gray, hooded jacket was nicely made for storing secretes. It covered slightly past my shoulder in a fan-shape. Only a modest amount of flesh showed between the cloth of my jacket and my fingerless leather gauntlet-inspired gloves made of the same material as my boots that wrapped around my forearms snuggly. Showing very little flesh was mildly odd. Rokakas did not show skin: it was part of their way of life. But I was no longer apart of that life. I already had my hidden blades within these custom gloves. The coat had two tails on both sides of my legs, which was slightly difficult to walk with but I found a groove, as the humans say it. A red sash swathed around my middle the extra cloth hung behind me to trail like a sparrow's tail. It was the only color I had, Raven was afraid what color to pick for me so instead she went with neutrals. A choice I supported when she had asked me what I wanted anyway.
Hidden within the sash was an assortment of nuts from the Fourth Section. They could do all sorts of task: from freezing a small surface to ice, to emitting a covering smog. The nuts were one of my favorite spoils. My long sword was secured to my back. A set of wicked sai were strapped to each leg, the three pronged weapons lay dormant under my jacket. I had the habit of being armed to the teeth. Something I was sure not going to give up any time soon. I loved my weapons, every last one. Right now I had the rest of my babies locked up in a white chest similar to Raven's in the modest room the Titans had offered me. The chest was a gift she had given me yesterday. I loved it.
Under the Jacket I had a corset on. More weapons were strapped inside the material. They were my last minute small stuff. The "just in case" kind, although very hard to get to, it meant that no one else could get to them easily either.
I slipped the hood off and observed my hair, it was still wild and flipped all around my head; I had given up long ago trying anything with it. Starfire had tried her best too, but it disobeyed every trick the Tameranean had. Its silver color unnerved Raven and I figured it was because mine looked like his. But his was white, mine was silver. It shimmered and caught the light and reflected it. Bothersome when in hiding, but if I was asking for attention, it was an easy give-way.
"She is glorious! Friend Raven you have the 'knack' for this!" The Tameranean Princess proclaimed with a sunny smile. "She looks like a hero!"
I raised my eyebrows at the Starfire in the mirror. "Really?"
"Of course!"
I had never been called that. I had no reason to be called that. Sure I looked the part, but it was more difficult to 'walk the walk'… another human expression.
"She's right. You look very nice." My little sister said. She seemed to be enjoying herself. I smiled at her and nodded. I swore to myself I would try. I could try this hero thing. It couldn't be so hard to do the right thing. I mean, I had never tried it before. But I had never really been given the option to do it. The Rokakas were a rag-tag people; we were shady by our very nature. There had been no alternative for me, something I had told Raven. She had heard of Rokakas, never met one though. I was beginning to share little about me. It was a start and I was thankful for Raven's patience. When I couldn't talk about something she left me be, usually changing the topic. It usually turned to her and her adventures as a Titan.
Only one and a half of Earth's weeks past since my crash landing to this planet, and I still wasn't sure if I fit any better than before. The two female teammates enjoyed my company and spent quite an amount of time with me. Thankfully both listened well. If one asked a question I wasn't comfortable answering, then they let it be. So far, keeping my past buried was easy. Beast Boy had also taken an acceptance to me. When I wasn't with my sister or Starfire, the changeling would keep me company. He gave me a tour of the city and introduced me to all manners of Earth cuisine. Pizza was a marvel! I had never had it anywhere and when I told Beast Boy this he almost passed out. Then he just laughed at me for a couple of days. His humor was a welcomed relief. War forces one to be nothing but serious. One cannot let one's guard down for any reason. Ever.
A mutual silence grew between Cyborg and I; he didn't avoid me and seemed to be tolerable of me. There was little to speak to him about, and when the company of Starfire and Beast Boy became overbearing and my sister was not around I would steal- barrow, yes, an odd word, but it's meaning is correct- one of Raven's books and sit within the vicinity of the half-metal man. Secretly, I made watching him as a hobby. I found his facial expressions and hand gestures fascinating. When he brought the topic up I told him I never met a cyborg who owned so much feeling. The answer seemed to bother him but he let the topic go and even allowed me to continue my hobby.
The only Titan I couldn't seem to rub right with was Robin. He was cold and indifferent about me most of the time, like at meals and during movie nights. However, the team leader refused to speak directly to me and even made the silent oath to not be near me unnecessarily. Which hardly bothered me; some of Robin's actions and rules annoyed me. He was firm and in this network, his rule was law. When Robin gave a direct order he expected it to be followed.
With what little free-time I was aloud, I research my new setting. I spent hours reading or surfing the internet for any information I could snag. From Earth's weather patterns, to the biography of the Teen Titans and their enemies, I absorbed as much of it as I could.
I glanced at Raven for a moment, she was smaller than I had imagined. Her hood was off and her shoulder-length blue-ish hair look shiny and soft. She always kept it down and refused to brush it aside when it fell into her face. The cloak was a heavy and sturdy velvet and was splayed over Starfire's bed. She rarely showed her body. The black dress she wore reminded me of the styles of old Azarath. A deep plunging neckline showed her collarbone and some of her shoulders. The sleeves covered her whole arm, from shoulders to fingertips. A slit in the skirt that flared at Raven's ankles displayed a decent amount of leg, all the way to her mid-thigh. The gold and red belt and brooch holding her cloak in order were both traditional Azarathan jewelry also. Flat, ballet-like slippers adorned her small feet.
Although her eyes were darker in hue than mine, I could see so many things in her face that we shared. My eye-shape, my nose, my jaw, it all matched perfectly. She was my sister, completely and truly.
A loud alarm went off suddenly and I shifted unconsciously into my fight-or-flight stance.
"The alarm! Come Friend Maeve!" Starfire grabbed my hand around the fingers. I think she may have seen me sneak my small blades into the gloves.
"Starfire!" Raven seemed troubled as she ran to catch up to us.
Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were in the main room watching the communtica- um, the TV- intently. A display of a building smoking held their captivation.
"Robin? What is it?" Starfire floated over to the leader and stared at the screen.
"Whatever it is, we'll take it down, Star." He turned toward his team and I narrowed my gaze at him as he gapped at me.
"May she come along with us Robin?"
I turned to my little sister and softened my look. I was an outsider here. Robin didn't know who I was. There were too many scars to my history. So many scary things I never wanted to look at ever again. I was sure he could see this in my eyes. He sure couldn't read my mind anyway.
"Come on Robin." Beast Boy added. "She should see how we handle things here on Earth. We have to represent, you know!"
"Yeah, come on Robin. Show me the ropes." I smiled and I think it turned a little too wicked because he narrowed his eyes.
"Fine. But she is your responsibility Raven." She nodded and I scoffed.
"I don't need a babysitter. I can handle myself."
"Whatever. Titans: Move out."
My weapons were strapped to my back and to my legs; I had two blades on my wrists and my chard-nuts hidden in my sash. I could handle a small army if I had too. With a nod to my sister we both flipped our hoods up and headed out.
I hadn't bragged about the small army thing, I had not expected an elite Tin-Man from the First Section to come for my head though. Whether it was attached or not I'm sure was missed in the details, my head that is. There was no way they could have found me. No way. I had bee so careful! I even went through the Fourth Section to avoid these no-brainers! I mean, were the Sections that serious? I thought I had fixed this whole problem when I had spared that Trad! He had begged me and although Trads were weak by their very nature, I still thought he would've been better off as part of the list of the dead.
But I had not killed him. There had been so many I already killed. I let him live and gave him some of my hair to give to his superiors as proof of being dead. Guess it would only be legit if the Elders of the First got a hold of my head. Greedy old swine!
When the team and I had reached the injured building there was nothing around. So we split up, I was with Raven, since Robin ordered it. A rule I think I was going to have issues with. As we moved down an old deserted part of the city Raven had told me that it was Old Jump. The remains of the first city before Trigon hit. Unwanted and nasty things lived here now, living with no rules and order.
That was where we found the X-129 model of the Tin-Man. The First Section's personal army was made up of nothing but the latest model. This seemed to be it. As it locked on our position I knew it came here for me. I mean, how many other aliens crashed landed on Earth who were also at the top of the wanted hit list in four Sections? Call me conceited, but I was fairly sure I was the only one. So I shoved Raven out of the way as the Tin-Man came for me. Raven would be a liability, not an asset. I couldn't chance the robot going after her. Hell, the Tin-Man would swat her away like she was little bug.
She screamed something I couldn't wait to listen to as I turned and I ran. I was prideful in my flight abilities when it came to that fight-or-flight action. It did not disappoint either, I felt like I was flying I was running so fast. I watched as two cars were envelop in black energy and suddenly hurled at the Tin-Man. It faulted but other than that it seemed unaffected. I hissed at that. Sturdy as Mountains they are; stupid too, nothing but sophisticated circuitry.
Raven was flying towards the thing. I ran straight for her jumping away from the Tin-Man's barely humanoid shape. At eight feet tall and naught but sharp angles and sharper limbs. Two legs, two arms, four fingers, and an oval head with three red glowing foci made it too creepy. Barely human… what were those crackpots at the First thinking? I reached Raven and her black energy that encased her vanished. I held her close as I started running away from the Tin-Man. I needed the others. I couldn't take one of those by myself, maybe a couple of models ago I could've.
An energy blast of high frequency caused me to lose my footing and we landed in a tangle of arms and legs. When we stood up the Tin-Man was coming for us. I pulled the thin, wicked, long sword from my back and seized it at the ready. The metal could cut the Tin-Man. It was made for combat against things like the Tin-Man.
Before either of us could react several green blasts hit it and the Tin-Man once again hesitated but did not slow down. More green orbs and a handful of hand bombs hit it this time as Robin and Starfire came to stand with us.
"I know these things! They are The First's Army!" Starfire cried over Cyborg's sonic canon. "But I do not understand why only one has come."
I felt Raven's eyes on me and I took off toward the Tin-Man. I sliced at its almost ankle-like structure and let out an excited yell when the metal split with an awful screeching sound. My happiness was short-lived as I watch the Tim-Man's metal foot turned to liquid then reattached itself.
Well that's a new trick.
I flipped out of the way as the high frequency sound blaster was directed at me. Using sound waves was the army's specialty. Every Tin-Man model had it.
A roar came from a green triceratops at the end of the road. I ran out of the way as Beast Boy charged. There was a loud clang as the dinosaur's horns hit metal. He actually made the thing take some steps back!
I slipped out one of my chard-nuts into my hand, then threw it at the concrete at the Tin-Man's feet and smiled as the surface froze immediately. When it slipped I hacked at it again with my sword. This time I did not wait to watch the metal change. The second the detached arm turned to liquid I tossed another chard-nut at it and the liquid instantly froze. One down, but it wasn't the one with the sound blaster. I jumped onto the things shoulder when it aimed at the spot I had been in. A second later it became nothing more than a small crater. I could have been a crater? Well, upgrades were a wonderful thing.
Three small cars floated in front of us with Raven in the center of the ammo. I jumped for the ground as Raven flung the autos at the Tin-Man. But she didn't stop there. She grabbed trees and parking meters and loose bricks and pieces of concrete from the ground. My little sister knocked the thing into its crater! Beast Boy laughed and Cyborg high-fived her. Starfire looked at it then back at Raven with a worried look.
Robin moved closer to the crater's edge when suddenly I knew it wasn't over. Instinct. Instinct.
I pushed him out of the way and the next breathe had me clutched in the Tin-Man's metal hand. I muttered a vial curse from my past life.
"Maeve: Wanted Criminal C5X. You are under arrest by the order of the First, Second, and Forth Sections. You have no more freedom from here until your trial for the coup in the Second Section, as well as a number of other crimes."
"And you should be arrested for sounding like rusting metal." I countered.
"Maeve!" I looked down at Raven and frowned. Pasts don't stay buried. I should have dealt with the problem when I had the chance. Instead, I ran from my old life.
"Raven I'm sorry, but-"
"You no longer own any freedom Meave of the Wild Section."
"What is the meaning of this?!" Robin cried. "Maeve is on Earth soil. I am Robin of the Teen Titans and I gave her guest rights when she came here looking for-" He looked over at Raven then continued "She came looking for our help. And I have granted it to her. She is no prisoner while she is on Earth."
Tin-Man stared at Robin with his three red eyes. A number of calculating sounds came from the robot as he sized the Titans up. It was the perfect distraction but Raven was staring at me too intently. She knew what I was thinking. Not reading my mind, but she could probably feel it. I couldn't have been hiding my intentions. Being in the clutches of a Tin-Man was on the bottom of my to-do list.
"Robin: Leader of the Teen Titans. Guardians of the Seventh Section. Are you assisting in the arrest of criminal C5X?"
"No."
I gapped at Robin. He was talking back to a machine? Tin-Men didn't have conscious thought. They had their orders and they followed them without any mercy or remorse. Cold metal through and through.
"'No.' Denying the First authority." I gulped.
"I said 'no' because she is under the order of Aliena Deristrias Maeve has done nothing wrong while here on Earth." He was the leader for a reason. I couldn't stand to be under him because I had once held his position.
"Aliena Deristrias" Tin-Man repeated. Another long moment pasted and I relaxed a centimeter. This could take forever.
"Robin?" Raven called for her leader. Her husky voice held another level of something. I frowned at the unidentifiable something. I logged the moment away for a more appropriate time. "Please. We will need her. If Trigon- When Trigon comes again…"
He lifted Raven's chin and nodded. Then he patted her shoulder as he moved close to the Tin-Man.
"Cocky aren't we?" I couldn't help sarcasm. It was my number one defense.
"Shut up. You don't talk." Nope, there was probably another reason why I didn't like him.
"I, Robin: Leader of the Teen Titans, ask to speak to your commanding officer."
The Tin-man stared for a few seconds longer then he opened a device on his chest. The hologram projection of General Malteis looking grim and intimidating appeared. As the Tin-Man did the formal introductions I smile sweetly to the General as our eyes locked. There was no way he'd miss me. Even in my new uniform. Our past was kind of special. I waved with my fingers like his concubine does.
"Jewel Witch!" His scratchy voice was a nice reminder of the trouble I caused him the last time we tangoed… as humans say it.
Robin cleared his throat to grab Malteis's attention before I said something that would get me into more trouble. Smart kid, I was going to say something. "General, this unit seems to be breaking the law of Aliena Deristrias. He is taking this woman captive while she is under the guest rights I gave her."
"Boy! Do you have any idea how dangerous this woman is?! She is the most wanted criminal-"
"You're just upset because you can catch me in an act." I countered indifferently. The hologram turned on me. My smile was still in place. "Can you, General? How long has it been? Five? Six? Seven years? I have been pretty clean since then and I am under the Aliena Deristrias. You wouldn't fight that would you?"
A cold wind whirled around us, running through my hair making me look far too hostile, a look that came fairly natural to me.
"Don't talk." Robin muttered to me. "I'm doing this for Raven, but I expect a full explanation." Out loud he said "General this woman is in no way guilty of any of the crimes the Sections accuse her of while she stands on Earth soil. Those are the rules of Aliena Deristrias."
"I know the rules Boy!" He just didn't like them. "You cannot expect me to just let her freely live within your spared Section? You must understand Boy, if I let her be then the Elders of the First and the Council of the Second will hunt her down. Your planet will be endangered. She cannot be worth that to you. She is trouble! She is an abomination! She will deceive you and your isolated section will be utterly defenseless against her!"
Robin glared at the Malteis. "Do you find us incompetent? She is one woman. The First and the Second must uphold the Terms of Aliena Deristrias just like all the other sections. Meave has guest rights, granted by me: a citizen born of Earth." He waited this time. Waited and watched as I shifted nervously. The jerk, he was probably doing it on purpose. Pausing like that so I'd get jittery.
"She must be held accountable for her actions! No one is allowed a free pardon!"
"Oi!" I waited until I held everyone attention. "I am right here. You can talk about me like I am or I can get angry and do something irrational. Which I bet you'd love General. But I think I need to let Robin know I have not been convicted of anything! You need someone to blame and I am your best bet! Do not lie to the Boy, General. It will come back to destroy you." I took a deep breathe.
The robot let me go. Good. Malteis figured out he lost Robin with my statement. Ha! Take that you no good, evil, boot-licking-
Then the Princess had to open her pretty little mouth!
"If this would suffice, I have a proposition." I said. I had been silent too long. To be the future ruler of my planet and the current ambassador for my planet, I had to polish my delegating skill. When General Malteis looked and me and gave me a nod I continued with the utmost confidence. "Meave will have to stay here on Earth, as the Aliena Deristrias dictates. However, my proposition is this: she is to remain her and complete a set amount of community service hours."
All my friends gapped at me. "Star?" Robin questioned, but I ignored him. The General was considering my words. He appeared unhappy with the whole agreement. Then finally he said "Two hundred. And you'll need these."
The robot of the army opened a compartment in his chest. A black box was brought out to Robin. He took it, opened it, and then showed the rest of us what was in it. A bright, shiny silver bracelet glittered in the sunlight, winking at me.
"What is-"
"Dirty old man!" Maeve cried as the robot put the bracelet on her awkwardly. "You fight like Rokakas!" She screeched at the hologram.
General Malteis sneered at her. "This is a device we've created just for the likes of her. You strap on a counter part- The cuff in the box there- and if she leaves a certain vicinity of you…" A smile that held no warmth crossed over his features. "Let me show you."
A scream like no other I had ever heard ripped the air around us like ribbons. Her body was covered in ice blue static that must have been the cause of the pain. In sporadic movements she trashed against the concrete. There seemed to be no way to escape it, the woman curled in to a ball, then she tried to beat the concrete to dust, then she tried to run away. All this she tried, but failed. Her body did not listen.
"Put one on Boy! You granted her guest rights." General Malteis growled at Robin as Maeve continued to scream. His voice sounded far too satisfied.
Robin did so. The metal expanded when he slipped it on, and then shrank. "What the-" And Maeve stopped screaming. She panted like an animal as she gave a harsh glare to the commanding officer. A glare that hurt me to look at.
"Sorry dear Boy, the device was still under study when the X-129 took them. You can't take it off." He was smiling now, and I greatly disliked it with every fiber of my being.
Shocked anger flooded through me. "You will take it off!" I commanded.
He laughed at me. "Princess Starfire, you have already set your terms. These are mine. She can't possible get out of your sight if she is in pain."
"And now Robin must be punished? What if he must leave to some important matter? He cannot do the babysitting!"
"There is one of her and five of you. Figure it out. There are two more sets in the box. You so strongly defended her! She's your problem now."
There was a cold slimy feeling that slithered down my back. I glanced at Raven. She was furious. I gulped. She chanted then the hologram fizzled and died. "Get off this planet! NOW!" she commanded to the robot. It shuddered then turned around to fly off wherever it came from.
I stared from Robin to Raven then I glanced at Maeve who was still panting on the ground. They looked like they were ready to murder. I hoped it was not an intent to each other. Raven moved towards Robin and rubbed his arm. Robin had saved her sister. Why had he not done the same for mine? Then her hand moved much too quickly for Robin to stop her. She held a pair of the cuffs.
"No! Wait Rae!" Beast Boy cried out. He stood next to Raven as she bent over her sister. Maeve's eyes widened. Then she glared at her.
"I will bare this too." My teammate declared to everyone. I was not sure who she was speaking to. Beast Boy? Maeve? Robin?
"You should explain yourself." Robin said sternly. He made no move to stop Raven. He watched as Maeve cringed when the cuff shrank to fit her sister's wrist.
"It's a long story." Maeve's voice was strained as she moved to stand. I noticed her legs shook. The little of combat art I knew told me that her stance was set to a 'flight mode.' She shifted her weight and suddenly the flight mode was flipped to fight mode. Like the light switch.
"We have time." I looked at Cyborg and Beast Boy. They had exchanged a look between themselves as they moved to stand behind Maeve.
She noticed the movement too. She couldn't run, but she could fight. I had seen her fiendish weapons hidden within her gloves. I did not want to be on the sharp end of them.
"It's not a pleasant story."
"We've been through some scary stuff. We can handle it." Beast Boy was trying to reassure her. He did not touch her though.
"You say that. But I'm not sure if I can go back to that place. I wanted to shut it out. Lock it up. Never hear of it again. And here you are telling me you'll 'handle it'" she looked disgusted but not at anyone specifically. Raven was about to speak when Robin gentle grasped her hand. She stilled and I felt that nasty stab in my heart. The stab that seemed too reoccurring.
"Rokakas are not good guys. By our very nature, we are the outcasts of our original species. Whether we are sold or join the Rokakas because we have no other alternative, it is not something one chooses on a whim. That woman- ah! I mean my mom- told me it would be the safest place for me. She wanted me hidden from the universe."
I frowned. She was a criminal. She had done her misdeeds. Why had Robin agreed to this? Why was Raven's sister so important? She couldn't even call her own mother 'mother.' Raven had to teach her the Earth term for 'mother figure.'
"My Mother bought me from my mom. She was the monarch of her clan."
"Aren't Rokakas a clan?" Beast Boy interrupted. He had been abnormally silent. "I mean if they're the race and all I mean I don't-"
Maeve cut him off, "There were too many Rokakas in general to be in just one spot. Each section has a clan of Rokakas and each clan is held together by one monarch. Azarath lies in the Third Section. My Mother was the monarch of that section. She purchased me and followed all the requirements my mom asked of her." There was a pause as the alien seemed to be remembering something of her past.
"I was only to be told what planet I was from. I was to never know who my mom or father were. Under no condition was I to ever come to Azarath. Under no condition was I allowed on Earth." Maeve paused again and a pained looked crossed her features. "My Mother followed her rules. She trained me to become the next Mother. She was ill. A cancer of some form took her when I was still maturing. But I did as she commanded of me. I became the next Mother of my clan. And I started a civil war within the most ruthless race because of it."