Chapter 7: Brutal Foreshadowing

--

"You've changed, Robin."  Blackfire kept staring despite Robin's attempts to look elsewhere.  "Now answer my question: why did you walk away from your life to…this?  You think you're better because you joined Slade?"

"What does it matter to you?"

"We're working together, and I spent half a flight giving you my life story, so you owe me details."  She got off of her bed and placed a hand on his shoulder.  "Now, come on. What made the boy wonder a bad seed?"

Forcing back a grin, Robin got up from the bed and began pacing the room, trying to figure out how to start explaining himself.  "I remember that name.  You know how much flack I got just for being some goody two shoes who always did the right thing?  You know what kind of image people make of you?  They expect you to be perfect all of the time and just because you work with a guy whose parents got killed, you become the same as him.  I can't stand that, so I left him."

Blackfire rolled her eyes, unimpressed.  "That…doesn't answer my question."

"So let me finish.  Being a leader had it perks: I didn't have to bend over for some brooding billionaire and I could work with people my age, but to them," he walked over and pointed to the city beyond the night sky, "to them, I was just the boy wonder with a haircut.  Always being hero didn't provide any type of thrill or excitement.  We dealt with small time crooks and amateurs until we met Slade.  Sure, he's not out to conquer the world, but he's having a hell of a better time doing what he does than I did as a Titan.

"Then I figured I won't get any closer spending every night trying to find out who this guy is, so why not just join him and get stronger at the same time?  Hell, it bugs me a lot and half the time I'm looking over my shoulder to make sure a green dinosaur doesn't bite off my head, but if I've proved anything with my choice, it's that even the most polished sidekick can be swayed.  I've lived a portion of my life under a man who taught me everything he knew about doing the right thing, but with that comes life's decisions, and this is one of them."

Blackfire had no response, but she did become worried when a sick looking grin began to curve on Robin's face.

"We don't live just by doing the right thing all of the time, and I'm an example of that.  After witnessing Slade's abilities, I had to leave the Titans."  He leaned against the wall and stared at his "R" emblem.  "And in the past few days, I've had a better time in this city at Slade's side than I have my entire career as a Teen Titan."

For the longest time, Blackfire did not respond.  Robin worked with her now.  When she went on a mission, she would see his face along with those idiots.  If she got lucky, she could see those eyes under that mask.  Then again, he had gone against what everyone expected of him just to prove a point.  To her, that made him worse than a bastard, but she shook her head and erased those thoughts.

"So you became the bad boy just because you hated being the good guy.  It's unheard of on my planet, but you Earthlings always do come up with new ways to screw with logic.  Well, why now?  Why not do this with your old man?"

"Heh."  Robin chuckled to mask the shiver running down his spine at the thought.  "He'd kill me in a second.  Hell, if he knew where I was now, he'd still do it."

"So my sister took his job from him, right?"

The smile faded.  "I'm not afraid of her."

"Yes, you are.  She almost crushed you until I stepped in and saved your butt.  You and I both know she's in love with you, and to do this to her crushes her.  Don't look at me like that.  I'm not criticizing you.  I think it's a great thing.  Your life, your decision.  I'm glad that you're with us.  I just want you to be careful.  She'll do anything to bring you back to her."

"What?  That whole 'I'll break every bone you have' threat?  You can't expect her to live up to her threats."

But Blackfire shook her head.  Earth boys could be so stupid.  "You just don't get it.  You don't know Koriand'r like I do.  If someone crosses the line her, she'll go berserk and wreck everything in sight until she gets what she wants.  If she gets a hold of you, she'll drag you back or kill you; and that's without showing her other side."  She paused and shut out the screams that resurfaced for another nightmare. "If she does that…you'll die."

Thunder clapped outside as Robin put his hand under a pillow to stop the shaking.  Starfire…kill him?  The one she calls 'Friend Robin' and always rushed to help adjust his came and spar with on hot mornings?  "You're wrong.  Starfire's too innocent to go off the deep end.  She's pure.  She can't be pushed to any limit."  He tossed the pillow in Blackfire's face and got up, full of confidence.  "I say bring her on.  It just gives me another chance to see if Slade's training paid off for me."

The door sliding open broke the staring contest between Robin and Blackfire.  When Jinx walked in and received no response, she cleared her throat. "Robin, go see Slade.  He's got something important for you."

Blackfire and Robin needed no words.  Their looks said everything.

Be careful.

I always am.

--

"You were reckless in your battle against them, Robin.  You should have been more careful."  Slade didn't care how deep a wound he cut into Robin's spirit with his evaluation.  "If you are not careful, death will await you at the hands of the very people you called your friends."

This guy's worse than Bruce.  Robin kept his thoughts in his mind where he hoped Slade couldn't read them.  He shifted and kept his gaze to the floor, careful not to end up like Blackfire had for daring to talk back to Slade.  "I understand, sir.  I'll perform better on the next mission when-"

"When you end up as scum at the bottom of their shoes, Robin?  Do not plan to become better later on.  Improve here and now.  Always fight, always train, always become better than your enemies."  He pressed a button.  The monitors came to life as Robin watched Starfire choke the life out of him.  "If you do not, your enemies will make the first and final move."  Slade pulled a shining piece of silver from his pocket.  "And the first strike determines who wins the fight."

Robin eyed the blade for a few seconds and frowned.  It looked like any other blade: sharp enough to cut a major artery; long enough to fit in a sheath, but the empty orb at the blade's center had his mind in circles trying to discover its purpose.  Weird, he thought.  A knife that doubled as a thermometer and this is supposed to help me?  "I'll bite.  What's the big deal about the knife?"

"Plunge the blade into the attacker and their blood will be drawn into this orb."  He pointed to it and noted Robin's skeptical glance.  "Unimpressed, I see.  Pay close attention to the tip"

Moving closer for a better view, Robin squinted at the blade.  Was that…powder?  Sugar?  No.  Both pointless for a weapon.  Explosive powder was out of the question, too, unless Robin wanted a suicide mission.

"It's a crystalline powder that, when injected, can cause paralysis and disrupt the central nervous system.  A chemical agent known as strychnine."

"Poison?"  Robin didn't know whether his reaction should have been one of shock or distaste for such a weapon.  When would he ever need to poison someone, let alone the Titans?  Raven could heal herself, Cyborg had…well, metallic armor, Beast Boy would run at the sight of blood, and he didn't know if Tamaraneans like Starfire had immunity towards poison.  "They're too smart to fall for that.  Plus, that's not a lot of powder.  What happens if I need it and I don't have any?"

Slade's response came in the form of a small, tan pouch he tossed to Robin.  "Ask the other for more if need be."

Whoever the other was Robin didn't know, so he pocketed the dagger and turned around to leave, but stopped when a shadow grew in size behind him.  Robin turned around and held the blade in front of his face quick enough to block Slade's staff.  The staff's weight pressed down on Robin and brought him to his knees, his arm shaking and head arching back from the impact.

"Good."  Slade did not let up on pushing Robin down.  "The first strike determines who wins the battle.  No strike has been made yet.  But…" He let up and swung the staff in the air before extending his legs and taking a fighting stance.  "…a good defense is not always the best offense.  Now attack with the intent to kill."

Robin charged.

--

Raven powered down.  The cerulean orb beneath her hands faded until it vanished.  Starfire's wounds took longer to heal than she thought.  As she settled into a waiting chair, Raven dropped her guard and kept her eye on Starfire, who continued dozing.  Raven examined Starfire's face.  So innocent and untouchable, yet so evil.  Just like me.  Raven put a hand to her chest and shrugged.  You better be dreaming well, Star.

While Raven closed her eyes for a half hour rest, Starfire tossed and turned; the sheets winning the fight for dominance as thoughts of friend Robin and his betrayal continued leaking into her brain.  She couldn't, wouldn't picture him walking away from her, let alone kill her.  Would friend Robin do that?  Could he go so far as to end the life of his one true female companion?

Flames leapt throughout the skyscrapers and buildings as Jump City went down in a burning wreck.

Trying to cancel out the agonizing cries for help, Starfire flew over the city.  A feeling of dread swept her body as a blood stained sky followed her everywhere.  Her communicator, still shattered when she woke up, left her no contact with her friends, with Robin.  Where had they gone?  Why had they not stopped the city from being destroyed?  "Where have they all disappeared to?  Who is responsible for such madness and chaos?"

A fireball shot into the air, sending a torrent of orange and yellow through the sky.  Starfire's eyes widened at the sight of the purple robe sticking out of a smoking car.  "No.  Friend Ra…she cannot be."  She hurried towards the vehicle, lifted it like a pebble and tossed it through the air.  The sight repulsed Starfire as she backed away in a mix of horror and surprise.

Cold as ice, Raven's body did not budge.  A sinful smile curved across her face and kept dripping red slobber.  A black cat card rested between each finger.  The pink hair looked like Raven had attempted a fashion identity in the dark, with ruffled pink strands covering her eyes.  A fierce wind nipped Starfire's arms and blew back Raven's disorganized pink hair long enough to reveal the strange lettering carved into her forehead.

"What is the meaning of this…'lucky'?"  Starfire wondered to herself, still unsure of how friend Raven had fallen.

"Somebody!  Anybody!  Cy here!  Come in!"

The buzzing rang in Starfire's ears as she fumbled with her communicator.  Her fingers ran across, atop, all over the communicator until she managed to open it.  Static filled the screen for a few seconds until Cyborg's face appeared.

"Star!  Get out of here!  Everything's gone to hell!  Slade's gonna-" A purple flash blocked the rest of Cyborg's message.  Another face appeared on the screen seconds later.

"Sister, how nice to see you again."  Blackfire's voice came in as clear as ever.  "Oh, and about your friends…you learn a lot about people seconds before they die.  Would you like to know what pinky thought of you?"

"What of friend Robin?!"  Starfire grew impatient as the locator crumbled in her hands.  She looked to her left and backed away in sudden fear as her sister appeared before her, still smiling.

"He's in a safe place."

In his original costume, full on regalia, and that same look of determination he always had before leaping into battle, the masked boy wonder stood atop some rubble; Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven all behind him ready to fight.

"Slade, the world is a peaceful place, and it's villains like you that make my veins damn near burst," Robin spat.  He then beckoned his comrades to come forward.  "Titans, GO!"

Was it all real?  Was she seeing Robin, the person whom she thought betrayed her, battling for justice once again?  The answer came as Robin leapt forward in a flying kick that connected with Blackfire's face.

The battle picked up the pace as Starfire could watch with astonished eyes.  Her dreams had come true!  A smile formed on her face through the blood that trickled down as she stood to her feet, believing that this was all a reality.

"Friend Robin, you are our leader once more!"

Everything seemed to slow down all at once as Robin walked towards Starfire and took her hand.

"I never left you, Star.   Always remember that.  Regardless of our situations, I would never turn my back on my friends in the fight for justice.  We are a team, and shall always remain one."

Smiles appeared on Beast Boy, Raven, and Cyborg's faces as they laughed, as did Starfire.  Laughter died down when Robin gave Starfire a strong uppercut to the chin that sent her skyward and hitting the ground face first.  She coughed up a glob of blood when her face connected with the concrete.

Star looked up with sorrowful eyes.  "Wh…why?"

Robin was walked towards the looming figure a few feet away.  Swirls of black and metallic orange wrapped around his tights.  The Titan emblem fell from his chest and a bronze one with an S took its place.  The robe loosened from Robin's arms and lifted into the air, drifting off into the sky.  He looked back, half his face covered by an orange mask.  "People change.  People move on.  And you're just a hopeless girl in love."

Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg vanished in puffs of smoke.

"You always were weak, little Koriand'r."

"Robin, come back to us!  Robin, do not-" Starfire turned around a second too late as Blackfire's fist slammed into her face.  Her head whipped backwards and body flew into a semi.  Pain rang in her forehead as she tried to get up, but found four pairs of arms binding her arms and legs.  She gritted her teeth and forced her arms up, but found her body locked in place.  Starfire whipped her head back in forth until a clump of muddled, black hair blocked her view.  Before Starfire could call out to Robin, he clamped his hand over her mouth.  The next thing Starfire knew, she felt the cool steel of a blade pressed against her throat.

Robin grinned.  "Good night, Koriand'r."

The blade ran.

Blood spilled.

Vision faded.

Screaming stopped.

Air never returned, and neither would Robin.

Starfire always fought for what was right, she never had any evil intent towards anyone and would sacrifice anything to save the lives of those she loved and all those who required assistance when they couldn't protect themselves.  Maybe in another life, Robin would think of her as an angel that came from another planet to save his soul, but that time passed.  Because of her selflessness and undying will, Starfire's efforts to save the lost would grant her entrance to eternal bliss.

So why was she falling towards the Pit?

Starfire's eyes shot open.  The visions blackened her mind and fogged her vision as she kicked and thrashed the sheets. Her scream carried throughout the Titans Tower, shattering the medical ward windows and awakening Raven from her slumber.

Raven leapt from her chair and fought to keep Starfire down, but her body flailed to and fro as Starfire fought for control.  "Starfire, you've got to calm down!  Try to focus your emotions!"

Too late.  There was a beat.

Starfire's eyes began to glow a brilliant green.  In the midst of her screaming, concentrated beams of energy shot from her eyes for ten seconds, burning a hole in the ceiling and giving the medical ward a new rooftop.  When the screaming stopped and beams died down, Starfire went limp and as silent as an infant.

Raven pulled back her hood to get a better look at the smoke lifting into the sky.  How the hell did she learn to do that?  Did something scare her into doing that?  She watched Starfire's chest heave up and down, her mouth taking in clumps of air like her life depended on it.  Sweat dripped down the sides of the cot, but Starfire remained silent.  For some reason, Raven thought she saw Starfire's eyes change from green to red and stay red, but she ignored it.

"Dreams do strange things, Starfire," Raven ran a hand across the bed.  "but they shouldn't drive you crazy like that."  Raven sighed.  She would never understand Tamaraneans.

"Don't change on us, Star."