I'm pretty sure I updated way faster than I have before.
The moment you have all been waiting for, the plot!
Going some years in the future and making a lot of comic book references. Please know the difference between Nightwing and Robin in this story. Robin in the first three chapters is Richard Grayson- who in the later chapters is Nightwing. There was a second Robin named Jason Todd, but I won't go into detail with him since his story is so sad- but know he is Red Hood in the later chapters. Finally, we are here with the third Robin who IS Tim Drake. He is the Robin in the rest of the story,
I hope that clears somethings up.
I also mention Iris West Allen who is a reporter. She is Wally West- A.K.A Kid Flashes Aunt.
If the characters name made an appearance in this chapter, they will be in later chapters. There will be a ton of characters in this story, just letting you all know.
Since that is all cleared up, I just wanted to thank you all for R&Ring!
Thank you to all of my readers!
Please R&R! I really want your feedback!
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or any of DC comics characters or anything!
Chapter 4: And the years went on
4 years later:
"Kori! Doll, your interview is in five minutes!" Kori, better known as Kori Ander's, Gotham's semi-newest model looked down at her makeup bag, pressing her lips together and huffed, closing the bag up and brushing her hair with the comb on her table
Kori Ander's, formerly used to be known as Starfire, but nobody knows that. Kori stared at herself in the mirror in front of her, remembering when she could look at herself and feel happy. She missed a lot of things about her old self, including her emerald colored eyes and her vibrant red hair. Now, she had to make sure nobody could recognize her former self, so Batman asked Martian Manhunter for a ring she could wear that would alter her looks. He gladly gave Batman the ring and now, Kori wears it from when she leaves the Wayne's Manor and takes it off when she is home.
Kori hasn't been Starfire in four years.
She used to cry herself to sleep, wondering what on Earth happened to her and her team. After all the crying and soon turned into depression, all that sadness turned into an unhealthy hatred for her former teammates. When she departed, her so called 'team' kept the teammate that dragged her away. In a way, Kori began to think they turned their backs on her.
"Kori! Fix your hair! You look like a hot mess!" Kori's manager, Megan, screamed at her with a clipboard tightly pressed against her chest. Since Kori had that ring on her finger, her appearance was no doubt a lot different. No, her hair wasn't cut or shortened- it was wavy and a different shade, like a dark brown with a mixture of light caramel brown highlights. Her eye color was a soft green that was not too intense yet not too dark. She still had a tan, but less concentrated than her natural color. Her physical features were the same, though from four years, her body has developed more and her facial structure has change a bit, but not too much.
"Kori! If you keep that frown it's going to stain your pretty face!" Megan fumed again, whacking her clipboard against the chair next to Kori, startling the young model a smidge. Hurriedly, Megan gripped Kori's arm, lifting her up and out of her seat and towards the door where the lovely interviewer was standing.
"Hello Kori, I've been waiting all day to interview you on my show." She offered her hand for Kori to grab and with a grand smile; Kori shook her hand with as much enthusiasm as she could.
"Hello Iris, nice seeing you again." Iris returned the smile Kori gave her, leading the both of them on the stage and onto the set where two chairs sat, one pink and the other blue. Kori sat down in the boy one while Iris went over and sat in the blue one.
"Hello Gotham City! It's Iris West Allen, here in Gotham for a special event. Today, I have a dear friend of mine that has agreed to come onto the show. Please help me welcome, Kori Ander's" The audience went wild with roaring applauds, whistles, and many "I love you's." Kori simply just smiled back, knowing what she was going to do was going to devastate some, especially to Iris's show.
"Kori, how does it feel to be the Queen of Gotham? How does it feel to know that you can get any guy you wanted?" Iris chuckled, tilting her head as she waited for Kori to answer. Iris was being serious, and the only thing that ran through Kori's head was 'not every guy'.
"Oh Iris!" Kori faked a laugh at her question.
"How is your modeling career doing, Kori ? You've been doing a lot of photo shoots lately I've heard." And that was when Kori knew she had to what she had to do. She really didn't want to do this, especially to the sweet heart of a friend Iris was, but it was the only way to make it official. Standing up, Kori threw her hands into the air, a huge grin on her lips as she spoke.
"You know what, Iris? I was hoping you were going to ask that question because I quit!" Kori then gave Iris one last glance before exiting the stage, leaving an astounded crowed and manager. Kori felt better that she quit her job. A first, she loved the career, but the soon it spiraled out of control. She wasn't content there anymore and she didn't get respected enough. One time when she was walking home, two guys followed her home and tried hitting getting there way with her. The ring she wore did contain her powers, not allowing her to form starbolts or fly away, but that didn't mean she couldn't take them both down with one punch.
As Kori made her way towards the door to the parking lot, she heard the faint voice of her friend. Pivoting around, Kori's eyes widen in shock. Iris was running towards her.
"Iris?" Kori's brows pressed together, waiting for Iris to say something. Kori hoped Iris wasn't going to call her a 'bitch' or 'immature' for going on her TV show and quitting right in front of her audience.
"My nephew, he's a big fan of yours." She breathed, trying to take her breath. Kori placed a hand on Iris shoulder, a soft smile gradually making its way on her lips. She knew Iris wasn't mad at her, even if it was immature.
"Could you sign this for him?" Iris pulled out a picture of Kori in a winter outfit, holding a candy in her hand. Kori knew who her nephew was and giggled a little. Wally West, a.k.a Kid Flash was a huge fan of hers? This made Kori feel a bit happier. "Of course, It'd be my honor since I did just, you know, ruin your show for the day." Kori signed the picture, a miniature frown grazing it way down as she looked up at Iris. "Don't worry about it, sweetie." Iris smiled, tucking the photo in her bag. "My nephew once said you look awfully a lot like Starfire, that one Teen Titan that went missing years ago." Iris tapped her chin, nodding her head in approval. "Has anyone ever told you that you and her could be twins?" Kori's cheek flushed a dark red, her eyes twitching. Hearing her former name felt like five knifes stabbing her heart.
"You know, I've never heard of that, but I'll keep that in mind."
Kori was on the road for the second time that day, driving her butt back to the Wayne Manor where Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, and Tim Drake lived. Bruce Wayne, the Batman, took Kori in after the run in they had four years ago. Ever since then, Kori was his responsibility, even if she keeps denying it.
Kori was at a stop light when her phone began to ring.
"Hello?"
"So you quit your job, huh?"
"You saw that?" Tim laughed, shaking his head on the other side of the line. Tim Drake was the new Robin, the third one to be exact. The first Robin, the one Kori was once in love with, changed his name and became Nightwing. Later, a new Robin came, but then things happened and he soon became the Red Hood.
That's when Tim came.
The New Robin.
"Of course I saw it! It's all over the news! Bruce isn't going to be happy when he gets home, ya' know that, right?" Tim stated, plopping a spoon full of ice cream in his mouth.
"When you're in a situation where you're no longer happy, then why waste your time."
"Is that what happened with you and the Titans?"
"Tim, drop it."
"But you never talk about it! The only person that knows why you left is Bruce!"
"And the only people that know who I used to be are Bruce, Alfred, and you. So consider yourself lucky."
"I don't feel any luckier." Tim pouted over the phone, dropping his soon in the ice cream bucket. Kori softly giggled at him, rolling her eyes in the process.
"Can I ask you one question, Kori?"
"Like?"
"Why don't you use your powers? I think there super cool and what not, but I don't get it."
"I can't when I wear my ring. Anyways, it'll blow my cover. Any other questions?" Kori questioned impatiently.
"I'm testing my luck, but why do you hate the Titans so much?" And with that said, Kori slammed her phone off and threw it in her purse.
Kori loved Tim so much, but she couldn't stand it when he asked her those kinds of questions. She started off new for a reason, she wasn't really eager to share info about why she is the way she is. It wasn't up for conversations- and that was final. Kori's phone interrupted her thinking with its violent vibrating; making her lose focus on her thoughts as she quickly snatched her phone out of her purse and pressed up against her ear.
"Hello?"
"You quit your job?" Kori gulped back her fear, slowing her car down as she approached her destination.
"A 'hi how was your day' or 'so whatcha up to' would be nice once in a while." Kori snapped sarcastically, pressing on her foot on the break by accident, causing her phone to fly forward and fall out of her hands. "Damnit!" Kori whispered, picking up her phone from the floor below.
"You're not an immature kid Kori, your twenty-one. You shouldn't quit in front of a whole audience like that." Bruce growled through the phone, his nose flaring on the other side of the phone. Kori sighed, knowing this conversation wasn't going to end nicely.
"I have my way while you have yours. I consider what I did was a great way to tell Gotham I'm no longer the number one girl you have to get with." Kori growled back at Bruce, playing the same game he was. It's called the guilt game; Bruce plays this game with them whenever they do something he doesn't approve of. It always works for him.
"Kori, you need to get a grip." Bruce barked back at her. He was almost too anger to even speak to her. He knew she was still in pain, but that didn't get her an excuse to act immature.
By the way Kori was clutching her purse, she knew she was going to be in big trouble in combat practice in the morning. She was appalled, she was infuriated, she was angry.
"Where do you get the idea that I need to get a grip, Bruce Wayne!?"
"I can see it, Alfred can see it, and I'm sure as hell Tim can see it too." Kori dropped her purse in her lap, her mouth open wide while no words came out. She was speechless. She couldn't force one single word out of her mouth.
She did what she needed to do.
"Fine." And then she hung up.
Kori walked up the path towards the front door of the Manor Estate, looking up at it with sadden eyes. She never liked it when she got into heated arguments with Bruce. He was the one that took her in in the first place. Without him, where would she be? That's why she hated the feeling of him being angry or disappointed in her. Knocking on the door and pressing the doorbell once, Alfred opened the door almost immediately. Alfred always knew when she was coming, so it wasn't necessary for her to ring the doorbell, but Tim always loves to hear the melody thus making Kori press it whenever she arrives.
"Madam Kori, welcome. How was your day?"
"It was decent. I quit my job."
"I heard" Kori smiled.
"Tim?" he nodded with a light smile. Kori chuckled, walking up the stairs and towards the door that was blasting music. Knocking on his door, Tim shut off his music and drifted towards his door.
"Yes?"
"It's Kori."
"Gunna' cut me off again?" Tim called back, floding his arms with a pout on his face.
"If you ask me dumb questions I won't." Kori replied exasperatedly, shifting her weight to lean on one side of her legs. Finally, his door opened. "It wasn't a dumb question, Kori."
"To me it was."
"To me it isn't."
"Tim, I don't really know why you're so concerned to know about my past. It's the past. Not important to know."
"It's important to me, Kori. Now, if you won't tell me, I guess I'll just figure it out myself." Tim opened his door wider, allowing Kori to gain access into his room. Unlike her own, Tim's room was nearly spotless- no clothing on the floor, no papers, no pillow, no nothing. Tim was a clean freak when it came to his room. Kori watch Tim walk over to his desk, grabbing a notebook of some sort. As Tim walked back to Kori, he lifted up the notebook so the cover was showing. On the cover, the word "My Star" was written in cursive. A faint smile made its way on Kori's features as she drifted over and sat on Tim's bed.
"My Star? You're going to go all detective on me?" Tim stuck his tongue out at Kori's comment, opening up the notebook and wrote down a few things before he began his questioning.
"How old were you when you left?" Tim asked while his eyes were focus on the page he was writing on. Kori laughed at Tim because his tongue was sticking out a little. Tim tended to do that when he was doing truly extreme work with Bruce, out on missions, and whenever he was doing his homework.
"You do the math, Tim. I'm twenty one and I left four years ago."
"You were only seventeen, huh?" Tim wrote that down in the notebook.
"The day you left, was it planned or unexpected?"
"Unexpected." Kori pressed her lips together tightly, trying not to think about it so much. The memories were so bad for her to handle.
"Why?" Kori looked into his hopeful eyes and painful unlocked the sigh she was holding in.
"Tim, please. I can't"
"I'm sorry, I'll stop asking you questions, 'kay?" Tim's heart raced, wondering if he went too far this time. He knew his limits with Kori, but this time he felt as if he stomped all over that line he knew never to cross. It made him feel horrible to see her like that. When he first moved in and became part of the Bat family, he was always curious about Starfire. He went down to the Batcave and researched her from hours end, searching for reasons and explanations why the girl he knew wasn't that girl anymore. Sometimes, Tim would hear her crying in her room because some guy made her feel unimportant or her work was stressing her or she was having nightmares that she didn't want to talk about. Every time Tim heard her, he'd come into her room without asking and he'd sit with her on her bed, holding her tight as she cried in his arms. Tim would listen to her, comfort her, and would tell her everything was going to be alright. He'd do that for her and she'd do that for him. For three years, Kori and Tim have been the best of friends.
They had a strong brother-sister relationship.
"I'm sorry." Kori frowned, pulling Tim in for a nice hug.
Kori pulled away, standing up and exiting his room. As she approaches her room, Kori shook her head and banged her head on her door. Today just wasn't her day. Opening her door, Kori threw her purse on the ground, pulling off her ring and stepping out of her shoes.
"Starfire my favorite hero!" She mumbled, mimicking a young girl she heard earlier this week telling her when the whole crew was at the Gotham circus. Kori flopped onto her star shaped bed that Bruce made himself with the help of Alfred. Above her bed, there were tons of glow in the dark stars paste to the ceiling so Kori felt a little bit at home with the stars.
Kori couldn't stop thinking about her old team. They were her family at one point in her life until Kira took over and pushed her out of the family picture.
There was a knock on the door, stopping Kori from thinking about her old team.
"Come in!" Kori rolled over, clutching a bear that her best friend Donna Troy gave her.
In came Bruce, Alfred, and Tim
"Madam Kori, we must speak with you downstairs."
"Of course."
Bruce looked at each and every member that was sitting at the table before Kori interrupted his concentration.
"Bruce, I need to apologies for my behavior lately. What I said to you, I admit, I was acting immature. I'm sorry, there's just so many things stressing me out."
"Kori, I shouldn't have been so hard on you for quitting your job. I understand where you're coming from. All is forgiven." Bruce smiled; placing a hand on top of Kori's to reassure her.
"I do thank you for your forgiveness, Bruce." Kori let out, turning to Tim to find him smiling uncontrollable. It was rare when Kori spoke in her old accent, if that's what you want to call it. Tim thought it was the funniest/coolest thing in the world when she'd accidently say something like "Mall of shopping" or "the lip contact." It reminded him of who she used to be.
"Don't get used to outburst like that, Kid." Kori face palmed Tim on the forehead, laughing a bit when his smile turned into an angry frown.
"Shall we inform madam Kori about the arrangements for tomorrow?" Alfred spoke up, a faint grin splatter on his face at the sight of Kori hitting Tim.
"I think it's time."
R&R please!
I'd really like it- plus, IT MIGHT EVEN HELP ME WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER FASTER?