If I could wake up in a different place, at a different time, could I wake up as a different person? - Chuck Palahniuk
Titans Phantom
Chapter 2: The Dream of Sisters
It had been a long day. After the fight with the Hive, Robin had decided not to tell the rest of the group about the white haired teen that had saved him until this morning, and out of, that he'd gotten some odd looks, not because they didn't believe him but because Raven hadn't sensed his presence or Robin's at all.
"It was as if you disappeared, almost like you were dead," She stated.
"Almost?" Robin asked as the rest of the Titans continued to give her questioning looks.
"Yes almost, when a person dies they leave behind a small aura for a time, then once they move on it slowly clears. How fast or slow it clears all depends on the person and, Robin, I believe you'd have the type of aura that would stubbornly hold onto life." As she finished Robin was steadily turning a bright shade of red.
"Thanks." He mumbled, Raven merely nodding.
"Hey you said that he was planning on giving those Hive kids some payback right?" Cyborg asked.
"Yeah."
With this the group walked over to one of the computers and watched as Cyborg dug through the tower mainframe. Until he managed to reboot the security feed.
"Let's see, they attacked around seven, we attacked around nine, so it's somewhere around there..." Cyborg said mumbling to himself as he quickly fast forwarded through the feed,
"Wait, go back!" Beast Boy said,
"Dude, nothing's happening." Cy said.
"Yes, there is."
And with this, Cyborg paused the video right as a CD appeared to be attacking Gizmo's face. "Told you," Beast Boy said smugly.
"What in the mother of…"
"Play the video, Cyborg." Robin said not letting him finish his sentence. Cyborg hit play and the five teens watched as Gizmo was pelted by flying disks and Mammoth and Jinx were trying to avoid the blue fuzzy food from the cabinets, all the while never noticing Cyborg's arm as it made its way over to a computer, almost as if the flying objects were purposely drawing their attention away. When Cyborg's arm finally set off the alarm, all of other objects clattered onto the floor, never appearing to have just flown around the room. With this Cyborg ended the recording. Everyone sat in silence.
"So, the guy who helped you can make stuff float?" Beast Boy tried to ask.
"No, look at the objects, around each one is a faint green aura," Cyborg said as he zoomed in on one of the CD's
"Then the white haired one has telekinesis, much like friend Raven." Starfire said.
"It has to be more than just that." Robin said annoyance present in his voice.
"It is, look, about thirty minutes before the ugh, object attack, the temperature in this room dropped about ten degrees, the same time the computer detected a power surge, though from what it can't identify." Cy said.
"So, not only is this guy telekinetic, he's also invisible to your sensors and Raven's mind and on top of that he's powerful." Robin finished letting the information sink in. Finally after a while Cyborg turned back to the screen.
"At least he's on our side." He said. At that Robin turned to head out of the room. He needed to think, if the teen truly was on their side then why not come and tell them so, or at least tell him who he is. As he was walking down the corridor to his lab, Raven joined him.
"Yeah, Rae?" He asked.
"There is something else, that kid Danny, back at the restaurant, I couldn't sense his emotions." She said.
Confusion spread across Robin's face. "What does he not have any?"
"No, he does it's almost as if there was a wall in place, similar to that of a mental barrier if I had tried to sense what he was feeling, he undoubtedly would have felt my presence."
At this Robin had to contain his willingness to go and find this Danny and interrogate him. After all, what kind of coincidence would Raven meet not one, but two people who seemed capable of hiding who they were from her power? And was this Slade gut involved? What were the connections? And what would this spell for them and Jump City? Robin had to collect himself once more, before he trusted his voice not to come out sounding angry and frustrated at the new developing problems.
"Thanks, Raven," he said, she nodded and headed off into another part of the Tower most likely going to meditate to try and figure out what was going on as well. Needless to say, Robin wasn't going to be sleeping anytime soon, and with this the day started.
It had been a peaceful day in Danny's book store, well mostly. The coffee machine had decided to stop working and a few of his regulars through small fits until Danny managed to recalibrate the copper coils. Another small annoyance was the fact that his store was starting to attract more nerds, not that he had a problem with the techno geeks of today, his best friend had been one. But they were currently pestering Danny to buy an entire set of comic books called 'Mega Monkey's' apparently adopted from some video game and they had gone around the store asking other customers if they would sign a contract so that Danny would have to buy them. Not that he really had to, but he'd made a promise when he'd opened the store that if anyone wanted a certain book or books in his store, that if they could get ten legitimate signatures he would buy them. Of course he'd already caught a few forgeries and had all but kicked out the porn nuts who wanted him to get the XXX magazines.
But still those nine nerds managed to tick off some of his more…darker clients and at that point Danny had asked them to leave while restraining the gothic couple who were proceeding to rip the guys' new ones. All in all, a peaceful day but Danny couldn't help the pressure in the back of his head which was worrying over the Titans, and who was this Slade guy, and what did he want with them. As Danny sat behind the dark oak counter he couldn't help but be reminded of Vlad when he acted more or less like a fruitloop. Danny shivered at that, picturing the tall grayed haired man with insanity for eyes.
Although now Danny was sure he could kick Vlad's half-ghost butt all the way to space, he still couldn't help but shake at what Vlad had put him and his family through. Danny quickly drew in his breath as sharp pain flared through his heart, some of his old scars remembering their wounds, his right arm giving a painful throb at the remembrance of Jazz; she'd really taken it out on him that day. Even if it was just a ploy for them to be able to get away from Vlad, it still hurt. 'So much for peaceful', Danny thought gripping his arm staring up at the clock, the fireworks would start at six tonight so he should close up shop at five which was a little more than an hour away. Careful not to jostle his arm Danny stood to make the announcement. Only an hour till the fireworks, then he could leave.
Back at Titan's Tower results on identifying just who Robin's mysterious savior was weren't going so well. Neither was trying to identify the kid named Danny, who Raven couldn't seem to feel his emotions, all in all a very frustrating day. But now, sitting up on the Ferris wheel with Starfire, celebrating the Fourth of July by watching the colored fire dance across the night sky, Robin couldn't help but smile. His worries and dread melting away like the cotton candy on his tongue, while Starfire gave a squeak at its sudden disappearance in her mouth.
"It vanished!" She exclaimed Robin chuckling at the look on her innocent face.
"Yeah, it'll do that." He said, sending up a quiet thank you in his head to whatever higher power decided to create Star, and allowing them to meet. Everything was perfect as the finale came around, until a giant mechanical squid descended from the skies grabbing hold of Starfire and ripping her away.
"Starfire!" Robin screamed.
"Danny, come on we're going to miss them!" Jazz yelled excitement in her voice.
"Okay, I'm coming, keep your pants on!" Danny replied irritated.
At this Jazz gave a 'humph' of annoyance which was strange coming from the Harvard bound sixteen year old girl. It was the Fourth of July, and the fireworks were about to start in the small town of Amity Park, North Dakota. They had been going to see the fireworks together since Danny was four. It had always been a sister- brother thing, no one else, not even Tucker or Sam went with them. But this year was different. Jazz had just admitted to knowing Danny's secret for about a year and in a way, the halfa was grateful for her knowing, because now he didn't have to lie to his big sister anymore.
"Come on we're never going to get to the hill if you keep taking so long." Jazz said her foot now tapping on the wooden floor.
"Jazz, I fly at over a hundred and twenty miles per hour; I think we'll make it." And with this Danny transformed into Danny Phantom, hero of Amity Park (debatable by some), but by most, this was only how they knew him; but not to Jazz, all she saw was her little brother through and through. Quickly Danny picked her up and flew out of their house, Jazz giving a scream as she looked down to see the town flashing past her eyes the warm wind whipping at her red orange hair.
"Danny, why do we have to fly there?" She asked nervous.
Danny giving her a mischievous smile, "You wanted to get there on time remember, it's also a little bit of payback for spying on me and figuring out I'm part ghost." He said.
"It wasn't that hard, I mean, I just watched you transform in the back alley of the Nasty Burger, plus it's a dead giveaway when you yell 'I'm goin' ghost'!" Jazz said.
"Do you want me to drop you? Because I will leave you here to fall to your doom," Danny said glaring at her but not quite pulling it off with the look of embracement on his face.
"No please!" She squeaked.
With this Danny landed on the top of the hill outside the outskirts of Amity standing next to his sister who pulled out a blanket from her bag, laying it down on the grassy ground and silently the two sat as they watched the first fireworks burst through the night sky.
That day had been a year ago, he and Jazz had stayed on that hill till almost two in the morning just watching the stars after the fireworks had ended, just like these were about to do. Danny found it hard to believe that only one month later his sister was gone. And here Danny sat, on a hill in the park of Jump City, by himself, watching as the fireworks blossomed in the night sky. Leaning back onto the tree he'd found refuge under, Danny could almost go back, become who he used to be, back with his sister, with… Danny quickly jumped out of his memories as a brilliant streak of purple, strangely in the form of a girl came spiraling towards him. Again, Danny found himself dodging yet another super powered teen. 'Jeez what is with people and trying to flatten me?' He thought annoyed as said girl plowed into the tree, half of her body on one side her feet sticking out from the other.
"Man, what hit me?" said the girl with jet black hair that glimmered purple in the moonlight.
"A tree and you hit it," Danny said. Man, why did these kinds of people always ask these questions?
At this Blackfire looked up from her current position to see a boy with raven hair and ice blue eyes looking down on her.
"Right, sorry about that, think you could help me out?" She asked putting on her very best damsel in distress face, 'this kid's cute' she thought.
"No." Danny said.
"Why not? I'm stuck in a tree." Her eyes glowing purple out of angry, and yet the strange raven haired boy never flinched.
"You got yourself in that tree, you can get yourself out." Danny finished, anger now filling his voice, for some reason he didn't like this girl, in fact, she looked exactly like Starfire except she was somehow wrong, her vibe was wrong. And Danny didn't like her for it.
"Fine, if you won't help me then this tree going down."
With that Blackfire used her violet star-bolts to rip apart the tree only causing it to fall on top of her covering her in dirt and leaves.
"Ugh, son of a bitch!" She yelled. Yep, Danny was right, she was crazy, and a little on the violent side. Turning he proceeded to leave when Blackfire flew in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. He had to mentally remind himself not to punch her in the face as he glared down at her while she was looking at him with a face of 'I'm so superior to you' gaze.
"What," He asked.
"Whoa, cool it nature lover, I just want to know where Titan's Tower is, that's all" She asked holding her hands up in mock surrender.
"It's a giant glowing 'T' in the middle of the bay, kind of hard to miss." He said and with this she flew off only to turn back midair and yell, "Oh, and remind me to take you to a rave sometime, you seriously need to loosen up!" With that she disappeared into the night, the fireworks ending long ago. Yep, defiantly crazy he thought.
Starfire was being chased by a squid, her star-bolts had no effect on it and the thing only seemed to be after her. Panic was beginning to set in her heart as it continued to chase her across the ocean, back to where her friends stood on the docks preparing to help. She flew past them along with the squid and she quickly did a U-turn around the Ferris wheel, to end up back with her friends her bright green eyes hiding her pupils as she watched Beast Boy and Raven try and fail to even slow it down, Cyborg quickly grabbing onto its pink mechanical legs as it was trying to reach Starfire.
"Don't know what you did to make this thing mad Star, but it couldn't hurt to apologize!" He said struggling to maintain his hold on it while the squid slowly dragged him forward to Starfire who was standing behind Robin, her now normal green eyes looking at the thing with fear and confusion.
"Um, I am sorry?" Her voice rising in octaves as the thing managed to break fear and charge at her again. Robin acting quickly hit the machine on the head with his boa staff knocking it into the ocean.
Beast Boy running over to the railing looking down over the murky water, fireworks crashing in the background, "so did we just win?" he asked. His question was answered quickly as the robotic squid burst through the wood narrowly missing Starfire. It started a midflight turn, bent on reaching her, but was stopped short as Robin leapt up on it and ripped out of its central processing cords. Robin landed back on the docks with the others as they watched the pink squid fly higher in the sky until it joined the fireworks creating a small explosion of sound and fire, a perfect ending to the finale.
"Whatever that thing was, it can't hurt you now," Robin said looking into Star's concerned gaze.
"But why did it wish to hurt me at all?" She asked none of them knew the answer to her question.
Arriving at Titan's Tower, Blackfire sat, leaning back on the couch; she'd managed to locate a bathroom once she'd gotten past the security system and cleaned herself off. After all, she wanted to look her finest when her little sister came home. And she couldn't help the smirk that curled on her face as Starfire came walking through the front doors, thanking her friends for saving her life while planning on reciting the poem of gratitude… all six thousand versus. Yep, Starfire hadn't changed at all.
"I see you haven't changed a bit." Blackfire said her voice one of self-confidence bordering on conceit.
"When we were little, I was always the one rescuing Starfire." She said.
Starfire gave a squeal of delight running into her sister's embrace as Blackfire laughed at her sister's antics.
"Sister!" Starfire exclaimed.
"Brought you a present," Blackfire said holding up a fiery green gem stone the size of a baby's fist, cut in the shape of a beautiful hexagon. Starfire's eyes widened like a kid on Christmas morning.
"A Centaury moon diamond! Where did you get it?" Her green orbs still locked on the glittering jewel.
"On the Centaury moons of course," with this she placed it around Star's neck commenting on how it matched her forest green eyes.
"You must meet my friends!" Starfire exclaimed.
As she pulled Blackfire over to the rest of the Titans who had been silently thanking the gods that Star no longer seemed interested in reciting her poem.
"I wish to introduce my big sister…"
"Blackfire," the elder sister said walking forward, her catlike eyes glistening as she guessed who each one of Starfire friends were, she started with Cyborg her hand shake giving the half mechanical man's arm a run for his money, she then moved onto Raven, who was very impressed at Blackfire's knowledge of meditation, she then went to Beast Boy, who cracked a lame joke at the ceiling but Blackfire laughed none the less. Lastly, she stopped at Robin who reminded her of the boy in the park only shorter but Blackfire took to him immediately noting his cape and mask causing Starfire to intervene before her sister tried something.
"So sister, what brings you to Earth?" She asked making sure to get Robin at least five feet away from Blackfire.
"I was in the quadrant. Thought I'd see if Earthlings liked to party." With this she plopped back down on the half circular couch.
"Besides I needed a rest, nearly got sucked into a black hole on the way here," making it sound like she let that last part slip. With this, all of the Titans were surrounding her, curiosity in their voices as she began recounting the story, all of the Titans except Starfire, who left to get her sister a soda. As she grabbed it Starfire couldn't help the sense of dread that was washing over her, it was happening again.
"I see you haven't changed either," Star whispered and with this Starfire headed back to the living room where Blackfire and her friends were.
It was late as two teens left the move theater, one a skinny boy with dark brown skin and hazel blue eyes, sporting a pale yellow shirt with green cargo pants and a red beret, the other was a girl with crystal white skin, and jet black hair that was darker than her mid-cut shirt and black and green mini stripped skirt, but what most people failed to notice were her eyes, her amethyst eyes. As the two walked out of the theater they stopped on the side walk, both to stretch and yawn.
"I can't believe we sat through all three cyber zombie commando movies." The girl said.
"I could have used less zombie, and a little more cyber but that's me. I'm all about the cyber," the boy replied placing his hands behind his head. Suddenly the girl stopped and looked around making sure the coast was clear before,
"Coast is clear, Danny." She said, as you heard a light footsteps making their way over to where the two teens were standing.
"Sweet," came a voice out of nowhere until Danny appeared next to them dressed in a plain baggy white shirt with a red oval on it with light blue jeans and red tipped sneakers.
"No sign of Jazz?" He asked.
"No sign of Jazz," Sam said as she smiled at him.
"Good. Ever since Jazz saw me fight the Box Ghost in human form a week ago she's been kind of…"
Danny never got to finish his sentence for suddenly there was a car screeching to a stop in front of the theater and out hopped his sister who slammed him into the ticket booth on accident out of worry.
"Pushy." He finished.
"Danny, are you o.k.? You know you should never leave the house without a Fenton Thermos. What if there's a ghost you needed to fight?"She said failing horribly at being sneaky while saying that.
"There's no ghost around, if there was I'd know." Danny said annoyed.
At that Danny's ghost sense went off the blue mist escaping his mouth that Jazz failed to 'see' for she immediately turned away searching for the ghost and seeing him high in the sky screamed
"Oh no, a ghost, time for me to run home! Be careful, Danny." Danny watched as she drove away confusion on his face. 'Did his sister know that he was part ghost?' he thought, after all Skulker was high up in the sky.
"Uh, Danny, you might want to get going," Tucker said as he pointed to the sky where Skulker was.
"Especially since he isn't even trying to attack or hunt you," Sam added.
"What? He's ignoring me? Well that's a first, see you guys later," with that Danny transformed into Phantom as his friends watched him soar after Skulker, Danny mentally pushing all thoughts of Jazz and her strange behavior out of his mind.
Danny was sitting on the roof of his store when memories of his sister filled his head. It had been a long time since he thought about her. Maybe it was seeing the strange girl in the park that he somehow knew was related to Starfire, no, Danny knew why, today was the Fourth of July their holiday, aside from the nation of course. That's what had brought on these flashes of his old life, and as Danny gazed up to the stars he wished that tonight instead of have the dream again maybe he would dream of his sister instead. But he knew better than to ask the impossible. With that he stood and headed back inside never noticing the ship hiding in Earth's orbit. Inside the ship two aliens in red armor where deciding the fate of the Tamaranean girl, "We will attack tomorrow night; she may be able to handle one probe but let's see how well she'll fare against three." And with this they began to wait.
It was the morning after the holiday and Starfire was wandering the hallways, for when she had awoken Blackfire was gone.
"Sister?" Starfire called."Sister, I seek your companionship." Star tried again, getting no response she headed into the living room where Cyborg and Beast Boy were playing a racing game, Cyborg gloating, his smile spread across his face, Beast Boy one of angry determination.
"You wanna pass me, but you can't pass me! You can't pass…you passed me!" his voice giving away to shock.
"Tighten the turn, jets and nitro! Ha!" Beast Boy said quickly going back into fierce determination mode, a smile on his face, Cyborg an angry scowl.
"Tell me, have either of you seen Blackfire?" Star asked.
"Blazin' B. She was here just a second ago." Beast Boy said.
But he was quickly cut off as Cyborg knocked his aircraft out of the lead
"Ah, Yeah! Back in the lead! Ha!" Cyborg said laughing.
As Starfire watched the game unfold she suddenly found herself wishing to play.
"What fun, may I join your game?" She asked.
"Winner plays Blackfire," Cyborg said not noticing the grimace that adorned Star's face at this simple comment.
"Yeah, she rules at this game," Beast boy added with two little hearts dancing in his eyes.
"I see," she said sadly and with this Starfire left.
She soon found herself outside Raven's room who answered the door only a crack, her hood casting long shadows on her face, the rest of her body hidden in the dark.
"Is my sister in there?" Star asked her posture slightly slumped forward at Cy and BB's early words.
"No," Raven said as she began shutting the door.
"Oh. Might you wish to hang out with me? We could visit your favorite depressing café."
"Already been," Raven said choosing to ignore Starfire's crestfallen face.
"It was open mike and Blackfire wanted to share. Your sister's poetry is surprisingly dark."
At that Raven closed the door. Leaving Starfire to wander the rest of the corridors alone, even Raven had warmed up to her sister; well warmed up wasn't the right word to use in Raven's case but still, Starfire couldn't help the lead weight that was starting to weigh down her joyous heart. And what she saw next only increased its heaviness.
"That's perfect Robin," came Blackfire's voice from the indoor training area.
"Hold me just like that and…hi-yay!" She screamed as she threw Robin across the room landing in a pile of weights.
"Learned that move from a Benzo Master on Tirus Three," Blackfire said, smugness radiating out of her very being.
"Hello Robin and my sister, am I interrupting?" Starfire asked while walking through the doors her hands hidden behind her back.
"Not at all. Blackfire was just showing me some alien martial arts, how come you never taught me these cool moves?" Robin asked not realizing that his curiosity was slowly twisting a stone knife in Starfire's heart.
"Probably because she doesn't know them, I always was the better fighter." Blackfire said smirking.
And with that Blackfire led Robin away speaking on more of her triumphs and power, Starfire merely closing her eyes in defeat.
As the day passed the Titans had all gathered around on the couch to relax when Starfire came in holding two big buckets of popcorn and soda balancing on different movies.
"Friends, I invite you to join me in the togetherness of a stay home movie night. I bring you popcorn and non-cotton candies. Tell me, what sort of movie shall we view?" At that Starfire received four different answers causing the Tamaranean girl to drop what she was holding out of depression.
"Perhaps a double feature?" she asked.
"Forget the flicks kids were going out!" said Blackfire as she entered the room wearing Starfire's clothes.
"We are? Where did you? Are those my?" Starfire never finishing her questions as Blackfire walked past her, not even acknowledging Starfire.
"Heard about a party downtown, cool crowd, hot music," she said. All of the Titans agreeing to it even Raven, once she told her that it was in a creepy rundown warehouse. Starfire watched as each one of her friends left to go follow Blackfire.
"Hey sweetie, raided your closet, hope you don't mind me borrowing your look." Blackfire said as she passed by her little sister.
"Why not? You have already borrowed my friends." At that Starfire trailed behind her big sister.
Danny had followed Skulker to the place called Axion Labs, where he watched as Skulker took a container labeled bloodstream nano-bots.
"Bloodstream nano-bots? Why do you need those?" Danny asked as he stood there floating off the ground. Until Skulker fired a blue glowing net catching Danny off guard and sending him to the tile floor, he watched Skulker proceed to turn intangible and leave.
"Hey! Get back here!" Danny yelled his hands glowing a liquid green tearing the net apart.
"You didn't even call me whelp!" Danny said chasing after the mechanical green flaming haired ghost.
As Danny flew past Axion Labs quickly gaining air to get Skulker he noticed a red convertible jeep parked in the grass followed shortly by…oh no, his sister Jazz.
"You've just earned a one way ticket to Thermos land ghost!" She screamed uncapping the thermos and firing a single blue stream of ecto-energy designed to trap and contain ghosts, unfortunately instead of catching Skulker, she caught Danny Phantom instead.
"Oops, maybe I should work on my witty banter." Jazz said to Danny who was stuck in the thermos. Vaguely she could hear a muffled "Start, with your aim!" coming from inside the thermos.
To this day Danny still laughed at that memory, Jazz had gone to try and help him, or rather him as Phantom, but over the course of the week she only managed to get him stuck in the Fenton Thermos four other times, one of them being Danny himself pushing the button so as to save his sister the trouble. And that had been the start of it; Jazz had started helping him as Phantom or trying to (Fenton Thermos remember) so that maybe he would be able to tell her the truth as Danny Fenton. Though it didn't quite work out that way, Danny was walking downtown as his sister's sheepish smile filtered through his mind, when he came across an old rundown warehouse that looked to be having a massive free for all party. 'What the heck, not like it's going to kill me if I open the shop up a little late tomorrow.' With that in mind Danny made his way over to the double doors, where two bouncers were sitting apparently to keep the older perverts and creepers out, Danny got in without any trouble and upon entering, was immersed in thousands of changing lights and the heavy backbeat of techno music. Maybe the crazy chick had been right; Danny did need to loosen up.
"Step aside Earthlings the queen of the galaxy has arrived!" Blackfire said as her body swayed in time to the music, Starfire on the other hand was struggling not to get overrun by other party goers, she struggled against the crowd. This was not her kind of thing. Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were already dancing to the music, Blackfire had surrounded herself with ten different guys, even Raven had left to go talk about how pointless life was with some emo guy wearing a black shirt and a pack-man ghost plastered on it, his black eyeliner smeared under his eyes. But this was a place Starfire did not belong, and the feeling only worsened as two nerdy looking guys approached her with bad pick up lines she didn't understand.
"Hey hot alien girl, you digging the scene?" one guy asked.
"I did not know we were supposed to bring shovels?" Starfire asked not understanding the question.
Embarrassment flooded through her as both guys burst out laughing at her confusion, calling her a ditz, stupid and other words that she couldn't even begin to know or understand.
"Actually, I think she should have brought a shovel. After all, she'd need one so she could put your corpses in the ground, or are you forgetting that this hot alien girl could kill you with one punch," came a voice from beside Starfire, both the guys instantly backed off, muttering apologies to both Starfire and the guy they had apparently pissed off. Starfire turned to thank the boy who saved her but stopped when she saw who it was, Danny.
"Not friend Danny?" Starfire said surprised by him being here and helping her when the last time she saw him he'd made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with her or the Teen Titans. Danny turned his blue eyes to her, a look of annoyance on his face.
"You need to stick up for yourself." He scolded.
"But I did not understand the question?" She said back.
"So, just because you don't understand something doesn't make it right for people to laugh at you."
"I am sorry; normally Robin is the one who explains to me what people mean," Starfire said in defeat looking like a kicked puppy.
Danny sighed. "And where is Robin?" He asked mentally kicking himself at worrying over her.
"With my sister, dancing to the music of techno," she said Danny's eyes following her gaze to where Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy where completely oblivious to their friend's pain. Danny felt angry at this, they shouldn't have left her alone in a place that clearly Starfire had never been exposed to, the next feeling that over took him was hate towards Star's sister, who by the looks of it, clearly was at ease among the crowd and even appeared to have high jacked some of Star's clothes.
"Danny?" Starfire asked concerned as she saw his ice blue eyes harden into crystals that seemed to glow in the light rivaling that of the gem her sister Blackfire had given which still hung around her neck.
"Come on." He said pulling her to the stairs behind the fire wall that led to the roof, she never registered the fact that his skin was cool to the touch, almost like water.
Once outside Starfire began feeling better, out here the warm air wasn't stifling, and no one was stepping on her or pushing her around, out here, she was just alone. Instantly her mood fell, she was out here alone and her friends were below with her perfect sister.
"What's wrong?" Danny asked.
Starfire jumped, she'd forgotten he was here.
"Nothing is wrong, not friend Danny, everything is wonderful." She replied but her defenses crumbled as he looked at her, concern evident in his eyes, he looked so…wise.
"Everything is not wonderful. I am happy to see her, but… Blackfire rules the video games, and she is able to share very depressing poems, and she knows the cool moves and she always knows when people are not talking about shovels, and, and I am nothing like her," Star said as she let her head drop into her hands fighting back the tears that threatened to break free.
"No you're not, you are only you. And tell me, is that such an awful thing?" Danny said. His eyes betraying nothing to what he was feeling.
"Yes. No, Blackfire is my big sister and she is perfect, I am not."
"Then Blackfire should be ashamed of herself," Danny said his voice not hiding the anger inside him.
"What no! Blackfire should not be shamed, she is my sister and I love her!" Starfire exclaimed.
"So what if you love her, no sibling should make you feel worse about who you are, that's not love, and it certainly isn't fair to you Starfire."
"But she's my,"
"Sister. I get it, trust me, but Starfire, your sister should be the one to protect you and love you, not make you sit up here to the point of tears." He said comfortingly.
"Then what should I do?" Starfire asked. Why was talking with him so easy?
"Sorry, but you're going to have to figure that out for yourself." Danny said heading back to the door. Sighing Starfire deciding to follow him back, but as she made her way forward she stopped short, a pink mechanical squid emerging from behind the big sign, heading straight for Star. Danny turned just in time to see the thing as it began attacking her, immediately his first instinct was to go ghost but this wasn't like the last time, he had nowhere to transform and Starfire wasn't unconscious like Robin had been, it pained him to think it but he needed to get her stupid friends and possibly her lousy sister.
Beast Boy had been dancing away when he noticed two shadows fighting on the roof, one big the other in the shape of a girl. He watched as the smaller of the two began to lose air. "Cyborg! Star's in trouble!"
Just as Cyborg turned to BB, four tentacles shot out and wrapped themselves around the green changeling and with that they entered the fight. Raven quickly joined them once she saw Beast Boy get dragged past her, her Goth friend quickly turning tail and running the other direction. Raven went to work on freeing Beast Boy right as Starfire came crashing through the glass, another squid after her. Instantly, all three probes stopped fighting the other Titans and went straight to the greatest signature to the one they were hunting. Star tried to get away pausing as she watched Cyborg slow them down and Beast Boy slicing at them with his claws in tiger form, until both he and Cyborg were blasted back.
Robin was getting worried, he hadn't seen Starfire all night, he was half way up the stairs when Blackfire stopped him wearing a bubble gum pink wig she'd gotten from some random person.
"Where are you going? Stay and talk to me." Blackfire said grabbing onto Robin's arm preventing him from moving.
"Look, I just want to make sure Starfire's o.k.," he said at this moment Danny came running down the stairs, nearly barreling into the two teens if his reflexes hadn't stopped him.
"Hey, has anything pink and squid like attacked Starfire recently? Because if so, then it has friends," Danny said.
Robin didn't pause to ask questions nor did he stop as Danny raced down the stairs bent on getting to Starfire before those things did, no Robin only stopped when he noticed that Blackfire hadn't moved a cold look on her face.
"Didn't you hear him, your sister needs help?"
This caused confusion to pass over her face but was gone the next second covered up by a coy smile.
"Right. Of course," Blackfire said pulling off the pink hair piece and following Robin outside where the squids were lifting up a trash bin with a screaming Starfire in it.
As Robin and Cyborg yelled "Teen Titans Go!" Blackfire flew into action. Her violet eyes shifting over into an energized form of the color until you couldn't even see the whites of her eyes, as she charged at the three squid probes that were now moving to attack her. Violet electric energy shot out from her eyes each hitting a probe dead center causing them to explode upon the impact. In less than five seconds, Blackfire had taken out all three squids.
"Ah yeah good times!" Cyborg said as the rest of the Titans ran to meet up with Blackfire.
"Nice shootin' B." Beast Boy said.
"Very nice," came Raven's reply.
"How did you know where to hit them?" Robin asked.
"Lucky guess," Blackfire shrugged.
"We could use luck like that; maybe you ought to join the team." Cyborg said.
"Me a Teen Titan?" Blackfire said false surprise in her voice, Starfire wrenched open the trash bin in shock, her friends just asked her sister to join them! They were going to replace her! No one seemed to notice Star's hurt expression, except Danny who moved out of the shadows after making sure it was 'safe' he walked over to Starfire who hadn't wiped the look of hurt surprise from her face yet.
"Here, let me help you," Danny said, numbly, Starfire allowed him the lift her out of the trash bin and take the banana peel out of her hair, finally registering her feet were standing on the ground, Starfire looked over to him, thanks in her eyes.
"Thank you, not friend Danny," She said everyone had grown quiet at his presence the Titans all registering that that was Danny, the one who really didn't like them, and Blackfire recognizing him from the park yesterday night.
"Hey, you're the one who I met at the park yesterday; glad to see you cutting loose," she said her superior tone back.
"Glad to see you not stuck inside a tree covered in dirt," Danny said his voice giving off dangerous tones. Blackfire had to take a step back, this kid felt like power, a blush spreading across her face as well.
"Please do not fight, I am unharmed, not friend Danny."
At that Danny seemed to lose his hostility as he met her somber green eyes a sad smile on her face.
"You're far from okay," and with this he gave a slight bow to her and walked back through the giant gaping hole in the wall to the party was, he only stayed there temporarily before turning invisible and leaving to head home just as the Titans were doing.
Danny had screwed up. Not only had he yelled at his sister but he had inadvertently yelled at her in front of practically the entire school. Now she was mad at him, and had run off to Wisconsin where the crazy fruitloop, also Danny's archenemy, Vlad lived, to prove him wrong, though he didn't know that at the time. Danny hadn't meant to get so mad, it was just that Jazz helping him out as Phantom wasn't helping; first him getting sucked into the Fenton Thermos to the point where he was pretty sure he was now claustrophobic, and then Jazz accidently pushing him onto the ecto-converter which took a ghost's natural energy and replenishes it for a deceive such as the car it was hooked up to.
At which Jazz said sorry and that it was weird that it mysteriously worked when he'd touched it. And lastly, when he and Skulker were fighting and she'd told Skulker exactly where the ecto-converter was, the very thing Danny didn't want him to know since that was the thing Skulker wanted! At which point Danny just saved Jazz the trouble and pushed the button on the Fenton Thermos sucking him in. Then when she'd told his human- self that she'd hacked into his private ghost files, who could blame him for snapping.
Unfortunately, him snapping resulted in her crying and what was worse was the fact that Danny was pretty positive that she knew about him being Phantom. And when his parents came into his bedroom that morning telling him she was missing, he knew where she went with the specter-speeder, to hunt Skulker and prove him wrong. Well he was half right. She hadn't gone to hunt Skulker, she'd went to Vlad, the one who she believed had hired Skulker to take the bloodstream nano-bots, the ecto-converter, and what appeared to be one of Technus's inventions. And she'd been right of course. In the end Vlad had used all of the inventions to make the Fenton Ecto- Skeleton (which he had stolen) human compatible, without it turning the wearer into a dried up prune. The bloodstream nano-bots giving Vlad the power to kill whoever was in the suit as well, in this case, Jazz. For when she found out his plan he decided to test out his new invention on her, especially after Skulker returned from the Ghost Zone with the final piece and Danny Phantom as a gift. So being the fruitloop that he was, Vlad decided to make Danny and Jazz fight. Jazz in the ecto-skeleton, Danny in his ghost form, whoever was left standing, would be his child. Which grossed both of them out.
"O.k. on my count run," Danny said.
"I'll run when I feel like it." She snapped back.
As they ran across the football field that Vlad owned they soon learned that it had a modified ghost shield covering it, preventing both ghosts and humans from passing. So the two teens were forced to fight. Danny tried to explain that they needed to make the fight convincing but Jazz kept refusing to listen to anything Danny had to say until out of frustration he turned her and the ecto-skeleton intangible and stuck her in the ground. Placing his hands on the glass dome that showed her sitting inside it Danny yelled,
"Will you just listen to me for once in your life!"
"Duh, I am listening to you, Danny; you said make it look convincing so I am. I trust you." She said.
And it was that comment, Danny finally knew. The look in her eyes told him everything. She knew who he was and she still loved him for it. And so they fought, Jazz quickly breaking free of the Earth and grabbed his upper right arm and threw him across the field, only to catch him again holding him up in the air. As Danny begged for his life— while trying to contain the joy in his heart knowing that his sister had forgiven him both for their fight at school, and that he had been lying to her about who he truly was— but just barely managing to pull it off, as she slammed him back into the ground where he pretended to stay down. Jazz finally admitting she knew that Danny Phantom was her little brother when she called him that out loud —but also seemed to be struggling with not squealing for joy that her little brother finally knew what she had figured out long ago—together their performance managed to fool Vlad enough to come down and console Jazz on the 'killing' of her brother, when she promptly turned to him and said,
"Guess again fruitloop" With that she blasted him back with an ecto-beam throwing him into the bleachers.
"Oh, so that's how it's going to be eh? Need I remind you that with a press of a button I can end your resistance once and for…?" Vlad was cut short as Danny appeared just below him and snatched the remote that held her life on it away and the switch to the ghost shield as well.
"Oh, cheese logs." He said. Bending down to try and find Danny who then blasted him all the way to the other side of the field.
"You, you, you tricked me both of you!" Vlad said offended.
"Barely, 'oh no, what have I done! Can you ever forgive me, oh my poor little brother?' I mean what was that Jazz!" Danny said laughing getting a pain in his side.
"Like your one to talk, Danny, 'Oh please Jazz don't!'" She said back.
Both teens now laughing uncontrollable as Vlad rose in anger, "oh, so you think that's funny do you, well then tell me girl does this surprise you!" Vlad said as he turned into his ghost half laughing manically only to notice a sticky note attached to an empty ecto-skeleton that said 'no. not surprised' then the self-destruct coming online in five, four, three, two, "oh, butter biscuits" one. BOOM! And just like that Jazz had truly entered Danny's world. All thanks to Vlad. Although as Danny flew both him and Jazz back to the specter speeder, so she could drive or technically fly them home, he never told her that when she threw him into the shield the first time that she'd fractured his arm in the process. But that hadn't mattered for Danny had his big sister back. A moment in time he wouldn't trade for the world.
Starfire was on the roof of Titan's Tower, a pink backpack on her shoulders, resignation in her eyes. Her sister was perfect she could never compare to her and so Starfire took flight, only to be stopped by Robin who had appeared on the roof looking for her.
"You're just going to leave without saying goodbye?" He asked confusion and hurt showing through him. Starfire gazed at him, and then slowly sank back to the roof holding her arms while dropping her backpack that landed with a soft thud behind her.
"Robin I…"
She never got to finish as a flat platform ship emerged behind them with two red mechanical aliens with claws. One of them immediately fired at Robin knocking him back with a green elastic slime that then took hold of Starfire, wrapping itself around her stomach, chest, arms and her mouth preventing her from screaming as the robot began dragging her back the ship taking flight, her along with it. Panic overtook Starfire; she couldn't get away her eyes completely electric green as she struggled for freedom. Robin was running to her now, jumping off Titan's Tower in an attempt to get a hold of her, he almost had her foot when he felt gravity began to take effect, and soon he was falling. Starfire screamed, though muffled. Robin had jumped, she saw him fall though she couldn't look down to see him as the red robot with a face that looked like a semicircle pulled her onto the ship and placed her in a clear dome holding cell. She kept struggling Robin was falling she had to catch him! Why were these things after her! She gazed at them with panicked eyes, who were these men?
"Prepare to leave orbit, we have the Tamaranean girl," One said his voice high and grating.
"Once we return to Centaury you will pay for what you have done," The other said his voice low and accusing.
'But I have never been there!' She thought her eyes still electric green, confusion on her face. Panic still in her heart for Robin.
Robin was falling. His grappling hook wouldn't be able to reach the ship that had Starfire on it. So he was falling. Panic began setting in, as he realized it was a ten story drop to the ocean, one that he probably wouldn't survive. The knowledge took root, he was going to die. That was when he felt someone grab him by the shoulders and immediately he stopped falling, in fact he seemed to be floating and yet he wasn't the one controlling it, that was when he saw a flash of white next to him and turning his head he saw the same teen with snow white hair, along with glowing green eyes that he hadn't noticed down in the sewers.
"What are you doing here?" He asked but the teen never answered, he simply shifted his hold on Robin a little, who then felt the teen's power surge through him, power that he could not control. It was a feeling like none other, his whole being felt like it never belonged to the natural order of things, and he felt light. It was then that Robin realized that he was flying, not vertically but horizontally; this kid was making him fly. Although Robin was pretty sure that if he let go of the teen's shoulders which he had grabbed out of instinct, he would fall towards his doom again, but this feeling, it was amazing and Robin wondered if this was how Star felt while flying. Starfire! She needed help and looking up at the clouds, Robin saw them closing in on the ship, fast.
Danny had been worried, after the party he'd been walking home when the squids came back into his mind. They had only been after Starfire, and they didn't seem to want to kill her, they'd wanted to capture her. Danny stopped, if they were only the dogs, then who was their master? He took off at a run, passing his house and headed for the path on the park following its winding trail until he emerged at the beach, where in the darkness he saw a ship take off, Starfire with it and Robin falling towards the ocean. He instantly transformed and broke into flight at three hundred miles per hour, racing to Robin who he caught around the shoulders with ease, careful not to slam into him when he did. Silently, Danny observed him as Robin first registered surprise, then confusion and lastly recognition? That last emotion caught Danny off guard, he knew him, how? Danny didn't let the worry show on his face, but he wouldn't answer Robin's question in case he remembered his voice, if he'd ever heard it. Danny now looked towards the sky and saw the ship they needed to get there fast before it left orbit; and with this Danny let some of his power flow in and around Robin giving Danny the power for both him and Robin to fly, well Danny at least, if Robin let go it would be bye-bye boy wonder. He quickly caught up to the ship where he placed Robin on the bottom of it who clung to it and listened as he heard the two beings speak of them leaving with Starfire.
"No one's taking her away." Robin said and with that leapt into action. Danny stayed beneath the ship pondering; those two robots spoke of Starfire committing crimes back on their home planet. But to anyone who knew Star, she was definitely not the criminal type, so why where they here unless… Danny didn't finish his thought for at that moment one of the robots managed to destroy a side engine causing the ship sink out of the sky until it hit the dirt pavement in the desert just outside of Jump City. Robin holding onto Starfire as she flew them a safe distance away from the crash. Danny joined them as did the other Titans who had been tracking the ship since they heard it outside of the Tower. Starfire and Robin didn't hear them calling, for they were too busy looking at Danny, who was too busy looking at the crash site. As the other Titans joined them they too turned their eyes to the striking white haired teen.
"Um, who's the guy with old man hair?" Beast Boy asked.
Danny chose to ignore this as did the other teens, for while his hair was white, it certainly didn't look old. But all fell silent as the two robots appeared from the wreckage and began making their way towards the group and the Titans all took battle stances.
"Titans, get ready," Robin said.
But Danny didn't, instead he approached the two aliens, who observed his calm demeanor.
"Why are you here?" Danny asked.
The two robots stopped, one immediately reaching for his chest and pulled off a red platelet turning it around to reveal a black and gold badge.
"We are the Centaury Police and in the name of the Grand Central Council, you are all under arrest for aiding and abiding this thief," the one with the deep voice said.
Everyone one of the Titans' jaws dropped
"Um, you can't be the good guys, we're the good guys." Beast Boy said pointing to each of the Titans, but hesitating when he got to Danny.
"It's nice to know you're the police, but there's only one problem with who you're hunting, she's innocent," Danny said.
"No, she's not. The Tamaranean girl is a liar and a thief; she has committed high crimes throughout the entire Centaury System," the other Centaury said pointing to Starfire.
"But I have never even been to the Centaury moons?" Starfire asked turning her gaze to Robin. And as Robin looked at her he knew who both the strange teen and the Centaury Police were speaking about. And reaching for Starfire, he pulled off her green moon diamond.
"No, but I know someone who has," he said realization dawning on her and the other Titans, throwing the diamond to the Centauries, Robin answered the question they were about to ask.
"You've been chasing the wrong girl, where's Blackfire?" He asked.
"Uh…"Beast Boy said as he pointed to the sky where a figure could be seen flying away.
"Don't worry, Star, she won't get away with this." Robin said, walking over to where she was standing. In that moment Starfire snapped, her sister, the one who was supposed to love and protect her, was USING her, anger quickly filled her heart her eyes became completely electric green.
"No she will not," with this Starfire took off after Blackfire.
"Titans we need to…" Robin said about to give orders so they could help out Star, but he was cut short as Danny stepped in, his echoy voice rooting them in place.
"No, this is her fight."
And with that, they watched as Starfire and her older sister began fighting, Blackfire blasting her little sister back.
"I always was the better fighter." She said smugly.
Starfire immediately regained her ground, her sister was a criminal and she needed to turn her over to the police.
"Not anymore." Star said, she had grown up, and she was done with her sister using her. At this she began dodging the violet army of star-bolts that Blackfire was shooting at her, Starfire drew upon only one green star-bolt and fired it, hitting her sister's hand dead on temporarily shorting out her power. Starfire's hands glowing with fierce power that reflected in her eyes and as Blackfire prepared to attack again a green elastic rope wrapped around Blackfire preventing her from moving, the one holding it was the Centaury with the deep voice.
"Blackfire of Tamaran, you are under arrest," he said pulling her down as she struggled to get free.
And just like that the fight was over. Starfire had won she had broken hold of her sister's power, but as she looked down at Blackfire who was being pulled away she couldn't help, but remember that this was still her sister and she still loved her.
"Farewell, sister. Although you did betray and attack me… it was still very nice to see you," she said trying to convey her sense of love by waving, though some of her sadness still shone through. But Blackfire wouldn't hear any of it, she was angry, her electric violet eyes showing her heart.
"Next time it won't be so nice. I will get out of jail little sister, and I will get even." Blackfire said as she was pulled to the second ship just outside the atmosphere leaving Starfire alone in the sky.
The Titans had watched the air fight on the ground, while every now and then shifting their gazes to Danny who just pretended not to notice them. When Starfire came back down to Earth, her feet landing lightly on the dirt, he turned to leave.
"Wait, that's twice you've saved me, why? Who are you?" Robin asked all of the Titans' gazes on the ghost teen.
"Because you didn't deserve to die, and it doesn't matter who I am, for I'm just a Phantom" and with this, Danny left in a flash of green light teleporting him back to the park where he transformed back into Danny Fenton and jogged home, trying not to remember Robin's gaze.
Starfire was sitting on the roof again the wind blowing her hair as she watched the sunrise. She knew what she had done was right, but that didn't make it any easier. As she gazed at the rising light she felt Robin join her.
"Hey, how are you doing?" He asked.
"I am, sad for my sister," she said her forest green eyes closing her face resting on her drawn up knees.
"And for yourself? Last night on the roof, you were going to leave why?" Robin asked.
"I am just glad the truth was discovered before I was replaced?" She said simply.
"What are you talking about? Is that why you were going to leave?" he asked astounded.
"Well, you, everyone was having such fun with her and then Cyborg said…"her panic and nervousness coming through as she spoke, twitching her fingers anxiously.
"Look your sister was interesting but she could never take your place. No one could ever take your place Starfire," Robin said a smile gracing his face, and so the sun continued to rise.
"Just remember Danny, I will always be here if you need to talk, but I'll still be over protective and pushy." Jazz said as she flew the specter speeder home, Danny sitting beside her on the soft leather material.
"I wouldn't have it any other way, sis." And with this Jazz and Danny headed home.