Chapter 10: Voices of the Past
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Robin clutched his left shoulder and used his free hand to throw explosive discs behind him. Of course, he couldn't tell if they hit Starfire, but he needed to cover some ground. At this point, he didn't care if someone recognized him; he just needed to find a place where he could have the advantage.
Behind him, Starfire fired bolt after bolt after bolt; missing Robin, but staying clear of citizens in the process. "Come back here, Robin!" She fired a shot from her eye beams, which burned through a lamppost that crashed in front of Robin. Starfire swept down to grab Robin, but came short as Robin leapt into the air, throwing a flash bang towards Starfire and creating a brilliant flash that burned Starfire's eyes even when she closed them.
That just gives me a few minutes. Robin rushed through an alley- the pain burning in his chest as he ran as fast as his legs would let him- and met a pair of incoming headlights. He fished an explosive disc from his pockets, set the timer for five seconds and fired. Robin rushed on top of the speeding car and used the momentum to propel his body into the air just as a raging fireball surged behind him. In the air, he pulled out his grappling hook and swung to the next rooftop. He paused and fell to one knee to catch his breath. "I…guess I lost her."
A beat, then Robin felt a boot knock his head forward and send his body hurdling down. At once, his body crashed onto a car door. Before Robin could think of attacking, he limped away from the car, but Starfire still fired. The starbolt created another explosion that flung Robin blocks down Gotham- his body speeding out of control without a driver- until he smashed into a staircase. As the pain thumped in Robin's back, bit by bit he leaned back and realized his location: Gotham Cathedral. Good. No free room for flying there. Robin dragged himself up the stairs until he felt strong enough to stand and limp inside.
Starfire was still hot on Robin's heels, her gaze never him as she prepared another starbolt. This time, she would end this game of cat and mouse.
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As Robin entered the cathedral, he collapsed onto an overturned pew and took out a syringe. Pulling back the armor on his right arm, he grimaced as he injected the needle. Need to hurry this up. He pressed the needle deeper, ignoring the pain, and flung the object next to the body of a decomposed black thug still wearing his jacket.
Robin eyed the entrance to the staircase and the giant bell that obstructed his path. He frowned- more from the fluids coursing through his body than the giant bell- and tried to sidle around the obstruction. Bricks dragged against his armor and tore a hole in the back of his suit as Robin ascended the stairs. Several times Robin had to stop and creep along the edges of the stairs. Splintered edges had been torn and ripped out of place. "Did a bomb go off here or something?"
He paused when he heard violent ripping and crushing downstairs. "Damn it, she's here already!" Robin kept running until he arrived at the top of the stairs. He pressed his arms against the yellow police tape strewn against the trap door, but nothing. He pushed and huffed, but the door would not budge. With Starfire coming up any second, Robin pulled out an explosive disc, took ten steps backwards and threw the disc. It exploded on impact. The bang blew off the trapdoor and brought fresh dust raining down on Robin, who held his hand up to his mouth to stop coughing.
Robin climbed through the opening and entered the belfry of the cathedral. Bats clung to the darkness, but Robin still heard their shrieks and cries. His breathing regulated, but the agony still blazed throughout his body. As the fluids from the syringe went to work on his body, Robin still managed to stumble from one spot to another.
It can be truly said that I have a bat in my Belfry. Shall we dance?
Robin's body shook as he took out a bird-a-rang on instinct. Did he hear that? Was someone there with him? Was he going crazy? Calm down, Robin. No one's there.
A woman screamed…didn't she? Robin turned to the left, then the right and almost jumped when his foot touched something on the ground. He looked over and his eyes widened: a toy gun? "How'd this get here?" He squinted at the words written on the tiny red flag: BANG!
He edged away from the gun, but something else blocked his boots- something cold. Robin's eyes narrowed over to the side and he locked gazes with the body, his eyes still open. Robin knelt down and tapped the face, as dry as a skeleton. Dried blood stopped at his chin and the skin on his hands had decomposed that just the pointy bones jutting through the knuckles remained.
Mr. Joker…you say such beautiful things! Oh, I LOVE purple!
Excuse me. Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
Bats emerged from crevices within the Belfry as the eerie voices continued to echo throughout Robin's ears and the rest of the Belfry. Was Starfire playing tricks on him?
I'm going to kill you.
You IDIOT! You made me, remember? You dropped me into that vat of chemicals. That wasn't easy to get over, and don't think that I didn't try.
I know you did.
Robin edged over to a wooden wall and noticed what appeared to be a set of play teeth, small drops of dried up blood scattered around the fake denchers.
You killed my parents.
Robin approached the ledge of the cathedral, the horns and blares of Gotham below were ringing in his ear along with the voices.
What? What are you talking about?
I made you. You made me first.
Give me a break. I was a kid when I killed your parents. When I say "I made you" you gotta say "you made me." How childish can you get? You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would you?
Robin looked over the ledge, but he couldn't see Starfire. She must've given up. Robin rested on a post alongside a gargoyle statue and peered over the side. There's one statue missing. Did it fall?
Sometimes I just kill myself!
Robin's head shot back up at the sound of footsteps. With the bird-a-rang still gripped in his hands, Robin turned around and watched as Starfire stood with starbolts at the ready.
"Are you afraid of facing me, Robin? Why do you continue to flee? This was your doing."
Again with the pep talk. Robin rolled his eyes, but could not ignore the killing intent radiating from Starfire. He had never seen her so…pissed off before. She was always so calm and detached and pure-hearted, but now, those must not have been prerequisites for maintaining your happiness. After a few seconds of staring, Robin remembered the powder and dagger. He could poison Star in one thrust and be out of Gotham without another scratch…if Star stood still long enough for him to stab her.
As Robin stepped back, Starfire moved forward. He continued to step back as Starfire continued flying forward until she landed on the pavement and her face was inches from Robin's. Without thinking, Robin did all he could do: he grabbed Starfire by the arms and flung her over him and down into the Gotham night.
Fear racked Robin's mind. He never had to think that fast before. As he approached the edge of the belfry, a fist slammed into his chin, shooting his head up and knocking him through the belfry wall. Fresh blood spilled from his mouth as he landed on the ground with a thud. As Robin tried to comprehend what had happened, he let out a mixture of coughs and laughs. So she's not kidding. She's not gonna pull any punches, then. Then how come she lets me throw her like a doll?
Starfire landed on her feet and glared. Part of her wanted to do this the easy way with control, as Raven advised, but then Red X's words echoed into her mind again. If Robin was the same as Slade, as witnessed by his fun in death and chaos, then he must be stopped…no matter what it took. She stepped into the belfry and watched Robin get on his hands and knees and cough up more blood. Not allowing him the next attack, Starfire seized Robin by the neck. "I gave you one last chance to come home or attack me as an enemy. You have chosen the second." When Starfire fired, she didn't miss this time. The blast blew Robin backwards.
All Robin saw was the next wall speeding into view. He curled into a ball, pressed his feet into the wall and leapt forward. He threw one punch, a second and third that all met the air. When Robin threw his first forward again, Starfire grabbed the fist and began to crush it. Before Robin could react, Starfire leaned back and kicked him in the head, whipping his head to the side from impact.
Robin's body bumped against the floor, his head throbbing as his brain bounced around until Robin regained control. His eyes widened as Starfire raised her fist.
"Now…your betrayal shall lead to your demise." Starfire brought her fist down. The ground splintered and shattered, planks flying in every direction.
Without a way to fly, Robin threw a rope into the air. The rope flew through the air until it ended up in Starfire's hands. She yanked the rope towards her, leaned her head back and slammed it into Robin's forehead, the weight of a cinderblock crashing down upon his head as Robin felt like his head had been split open. He flew backwards and crashed against the next level. As he saw Starfire flying in for another punch, he threw a smoke grenade, which detonated on impact.
Green beams fired at random through the thick waves of smoke as Starfire tried to find a target. As she charged for another shot, something heavy slammed into her stomach, causing a surge of smoke and blood to swirl in her mouth as she fell to one knee. Another slam had her back ringing and the next blow to the face snapped her head back on impact. Before Starfire's head could hit the ground, the cold, metal object held up her chin.
"You know, Star…you're strong, I'll admit that. If I knew I'd have this much trouble getting away from you guys, I wouldn't have left. But," Robin brought her head up higher through the smoke, "you're interrupting a great time. Babysitting you got boring and now that I'm with them, everything's changed. I'm having a better life; better training and I don't have to wake up to your cries of a good morning. So…of course I can't go back to that. If you're going to get in my way, it can't be helped what happens to you."
Robin brought down the staff.
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Raven brought up her hood. An hour or so of training with Beast Boy and Cyborg was more than she could handle, so she let them go so she could check on Starfire. She ought to be better now. She slipped right through the door to the medical center and found an empty cot, spilled syringes, and… "You!"
"Ugh…is there an echo in here?" Red X got off of the couch and stared back at Raven. "I mean, I have a name."
"Where is Starfire?"
"Well, hello to you, too. I stop by for a nice greeting and get the cold shoulder. You shouldn't be the leader while bird boy is gone if you're gonna act like that."
How does he…? Raven's face became more impassive behind her hood. "I'll greet you as you're heading out that window. Now where is Starfire? You don't want to make me angry."
"We don't need another abomination on our hands, lady. And you ought to listen to me unless you want another X plastered on your mouth."
For a moment, Raven winced at the thought of Cyborg ripping another X off of her mouth and causing her other selves to yell out in pain. "Just start talking."
"I let her go." Red X strode around the cot; oblivious to Raven's growing anger. "You keep that girl under wraps long enough she'll never discover her true potential. She has to learn the hard way that everyone can be broken and manipulated. You act like her losing herself is gonna cause a nuclear explosion. If she's got the talent to bring back her boyfriend, let her do it her way."
It took Raven every fiber she had to keep from gutting Red X's mind with a flick of the wrist. "You have no idea what you've done."
"Don't I? Any second now, old Red and Robin will fight until one of them dies. With Slade's little puppet out of the way, he'll be finished without his prize pet. I did you a favor."
"You expect me to believe that freeing Starfire, when she can't even control her own emotions, let alone the actions of others, was an act of charity?" She pulled down her hood, eyes flaming red. "And you want praise for it?"
"And maybe a free stay in your beautiful tower while I take Robin's place."
Raven's eye twitched.
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"What have we done to make you this way, Robin?" Starfire couldn't see Robin since he let go of her chin, but she knew he didn't leave. "How many times must we trade blows before you realize this is not how it is meant to be?"
"Again with the questions!" Robin charged and brought the staff down again, this time catching the back of Starfire's knees. She fell all the way to the ground. "So slow, Star. I chose to go to Slade not because I want to take over the world or want money- just the thrill; the thrill of not having the weight of the world on your shoulders. People saw me as their savior and I suffered long enough for that. I've let go, Star, and to make it worse…" He paused, giving her a smug grin, "…I was supposed to be your best friend, your boyfriend, right?"
Starfire's head shot to the left, eye beams blasting from her eyes and catching Robin in his leg. Pain knifed his thigh as he backed off while Starfire rose to her feet. "I…we have done everything and gave all we had to bring you back, Robin. You brought us to use force and everyone has tried as hard as they could to help you! We are your friends!"
Still clutching his thigh, Robin waved his hand to dismiss Starfire's ramble. "Good for you. Look, Star, if you're done talking, I need to get out of here. These wounds won't heal themselves and I'm tired of listening to you lecture me." He bandaged his leg and turned away from her, his eyes focused on the balcony. "So good bye."
With that, Robin hobbled towards the belfry's balcony. However, rapid footsteps stopped him in his place. He turned around and saw a green flash tackle him towards the ground. Robin's body skidded on the concrete until Starfire placed him against the wall.
Starfire pulled back her fist, ready to attack. He is gone. Her claws threatened to rip through the fabric of her gloves as Robin remained firm.
The punch connected.
With every bit of strength she had, Starfire threw it. As her shoulder dropped, she watched as Robin ignored the red streak running across the wall starting from his mouth. Even after almost breaking every bone in his cheeks, Starfire couldn't understand how Robin could not want to return. Now pitying more than wanting him, Starfire flung Robin backwards like a rag doll.
Then, that feeling returned. Her heartbeat became unpredictable and breathing intensified. She could no longer heed Raven's words of self control. Robin had become her best friend, shown her around the city, taken her on her very first Earth date and made her feel accepted into the team.
That all meant nothing now?
A beat, then a rush of violent wind circled Starfire. Her green eyes bled into black, then red, then green again, and remained on red. Starfire's hair flew in all directions, out of control with strands flying in her face and down her arms. A slow growing green aura faded into red. Her fists threatened to punch a hole in everything in sight, but she controlled it. Fire blazed in her eyes and spread throughout her body. Starfire fought for control, but the desire to hate, to destroy, to kill that traitor overpowered her. Blood trickled down from Starfire's mouth, which revealed a demonic set of fangs.
The power felt good, more than good. It felt wonderful as she cracked her neck and admired her claws. It had emerged again, no longer Starfire, but something terrible. Something wonderful.
Robin stepped backwards once; the last motion his body let him make as he stood there, fear laced throughout his body. "St-Star…is that you in there?"
It lifted its head. "My name is Koriand'r. If you are so intent on allowing Slade to taint you, I will FORCE you from his grip! Robin, I swear if I must crush every bone in your body and split your skull, I will stop you from returning to Slade. If you still refuse to return, you will not leave here alive."
Robin had but one thought in his mind:
Damn it.