Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

The Healer

Chapter 2: Broken Bird

By the time the titans got to the scene, the landscape was in ruins. The damage was great and an explosion signaled that it was not over.

"Whoever is responsible for this won't stop until he has leveled the whole city!"

Robin looked around and scanned the current situation. Then he turned towards his team and gave them his orders.

"Cyborg, go and find the one behind the attack. Beast Boy and Raven, give him aerial support. Starfire, come with me. We're going to search for anyone that's hurt or a witness."

The team nodded and that was Robin's cue.

"Teen Titans, go!"

The team dispersed. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven went off towards the inner-city while Starfire and Robin scoured the devastated outer-ring.

"Who do you think is responsible for this?" asked Starfire as she flew next to the running Robin.

"I don't know. But if I had to guess, it's someone big and powerful."

"I hope no one is hurt."

"I hope so, too, Star. I'm sure that the police evacuated the whole area. But we may have people who didn't get away in time—like over there!"

They rushed over to a policeman lying next to some rubble on the street. Robin knelt beside the man and lifted his head.

"He's bleeding but they're minor cuts."

He leaned in closer and positioned his ear next to the officer's mouth.

"...And he's breathing."

Robin released a sigh of relief.

"That's good."

The man moaned and shifted.

"He's awake!"

Starfire then also knelt beside the injured man on the opposite side.

"He is fine?" she inquired.

"Yeah. It appears so."

The man slowly opened his eyes, adjusting them to his surroundings. When he turned his head, he saw Robin and a smile crept on his face. He struggled to speak.

"G-Glad to see the Teen Titans."

"And we're glad to see that you're okay."

"And in one piece," the injured man joked.

"What happened here?" Robin proceeded to ask.

"It-It was terrible. There-There was a jailbreak. We couldn't stop them."

"Who got out?"

"Cinderblock."

"...And?"

"Plasmus."

Robin and Starfire exchanged glances. An air of worry shrouded over them; they both instantly realized that their teammates were in trouble.

"If just one of 'em can wreck a whole city block, then together..."

"...The city is doomed."

Robin looked at the police officer and said, "Sorry, sir, but we have to go."

The man placed his hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Go. Don't worry 'bout me. I'll be fine."

Robin smiled and nodded. He laid the policeman gently back down. Once he did, he signaled Starfire to go. They both bolted down the street heading for their friends' direction. As they hurried down the trail of destruction, an explosion occurred just ahead of them. Not short after, a second one went off.

"That must be them! Star, let's hurry!"

"I hope they are okay."

"They are. They just gotta be."

The scenario they stepped into was a most unfavorable one. Cyborg is down and struggling to get back on his feet. Raven continued a barrage of every object she could get her powers on on the enemy. Beast Boy was in the form of a cheetah dodging everything the other tormentor had to offer.

"Cy!" exclaimed Robin.

"Cyborg!" yelled Starfire.

But before Starfire could rush in to aid her fallen friend, Robin stopped her by holding her wrist.

"Robin, what are you doing? I have to help our friend!"

"No, Starfire, I will. Your job is to help Raven and Beast Boy. Don't let them get hurt."

Starfire's eyes turned a bright green. Her fists glowed with an intense, emerald energy.

"I will not let these monsters lay a hand on them. I promise you that!"

"Good. Now, go!"

The alien girl jetted to where Raven and Beast Boy were and provided them some time to recover by raining down her starbolts at the rampaging Cinderblock and Plasmus. When Robin saw that Starfire got to her post, he turned his attention to Cyborg and ran towards him.

"Cyborg, are you alright?"

Cyborg groaned as he tried to get up. Robin got lower in order to get his friend's arm over his shoulders to help him up.

"Yeah, I think so," replied Cyborg rubbing his head.

"Situation update."

"Long version or short?"

"Short."

"Place is getting trashed and we're getting our butts whooped!"

"I could've told you that..."

"Then don't ask."

Robin looked at him confused.

"Sorry. Ugh! I'm just irritated that they're kicking our butts! Pretty good, too!"

"Not for long. Can you stand?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Cyborg straightened his body and rubbed the dirt off of his body.

"What should we do?"

Robin planted his fist into his other palm and a scowl masked his expression.

"Hit 'em fast and hit 'em hard!"

Cyborg's right arm transformed into his favorite weapon of choice. A high-pitched ring from his blaster announced that it was locked and loaded.

"Sounds good."

Robin reached behind him and drew his staff which lengthened to about his height.

"We're gonna take on Cinderblock while the others deal with Plasmus. Let's move!"

The duo charged at the stone warrior who was being blasted by Starfire.

"Starfire!" cried Robin. "You help Raven and Beast Boy with Plasmus! Cyborg and I got him!"

The Tamaranian girl nodded and flew over to the battle taking place about a hundred yards away.

Beast Boy was transformed into a triceratops charging at the grimy beast. However, Plasmus's arms stretched at the attacking titan acting like a cannon that stopped his charge. Plasmus then threw the green creature into a building barely holding together. At the impact, the edifice collapsed, summoning a cloud of dust that practically covered the battlefield. Raven rose to the air in search of Beast Boy. Suddenly, she was met with a ball of muck that took her out of the sky.

"Raven!" called out Starfire.

She then turned her attention to Plasmus.

"You will not hurt my friends anymore!" she declared.

With much fury, she dove down directly at Plamus, covering her body with her powers. The spear-like body of energy bursted through the monster and Starfire emerged at the opposite side ascending into the air. She looked back at her handiwork and saw that Plasmus was no more but pieces splattered all over the place.

"That is why you do not—eep!"

Before she could celebrate her successful attack, she was shocked to see the monster putting itself back together. The scattered pieces moved to where the monster was standing and a figure started to take shape.

"I have to find the others," she said to herself.

She flew downward and hovered over the wrecked streets searching for her two comrades.

"Raven! Beast Boy!" she cried.

"Star, we're over here."

Starfire stopped in midair and in the midst of the dust cloud emerged Beast Boy with Raven leaning on him for support.

"Friends!" exclaimed Starfire.

She approached the two and helped Beast Boy balance Raven.

"I'm fine. Thanks," Raven said while steadying herself.

"I tried to take down the monster but sadly, I have failed. What should we do?"

Starfire started to look very worried. Raven and Beast Boy looked at each other and then at Starfire. Beast Boy smiled and said,

"Don't worry, Star. We'll take 'em down. By the way, where are the others?"

"Over there, battling Cinderblock," replied the alien girl.

"Then I guess we have to hold our own here," said Raven.

Beast Boy rubbed his chin as his intense expression suggested that he was in deep thought. Then his face brightened.

"Eureka! I have a plan!" he announced.

Raven and Starfire exchanged glances before they looked at Beast Boy. Raven was the first to speak.

"You have a plan? You?"

"Hey, cut that out and come over here!"

The three huddled together.

"Okay, so here's what we'll do..." started Beast Boy, eventually dying into a whisper.

When he finished, he looked at his teammates with a big grin.

"Got it?"

Starfire and Raven nodded.

"Good!"

"But are you sure—" Raven began to question but Beast Boy cut her off.

"Oh stop your worrying. It'll work! Now, since Robin isn't here... Teen Titans, go!"

With that, the three sprang into action.

"Take 'em down!" screamed Beast Boy.

Meanwhile, Robin and Cyborg were dishing out everything they could at Cinderblock. The monster, however, was more resilient and powerful than they wanted. Robin distracted their foe with a flurry of his birdarangs and exploding discs. Cyborg, on the other hand, let out powerful blasts from his cannon where Cinderblock least expected them. Yet, despite their skillful combos, the enemy was barely taking any damage.

"This guy's starting to annoy me," said Cyborg.

"For some reason, he seems tougher," noted Robin as he landed near Cyborg after doing a chain of backflips.

Cinderblock let out a roar that shook the street.

"Yeah, definitely tougher."

"I don't know. Maybe he's just happy to be free again," said Cyborg. "But not so happy after this!"

He fired at Cinderblock—a direct hit at the monster's chest.

"Booyah!"

However, when the smoke cleared, Cinderblock was still standing.

"Oh, come on!"

"Cyborg, look out!"

Cinderblock picked up a car and threw it at Cyborg. Fortunately, Robin was just in time to push his friend out of harm's way. They landed hard at a nearby mound of debris. Both grimaced from the painful landing.

"Are you okay?" asked Robin.

"Yeah."

Cinderblock let out a laughter that agitated the two even further.

"We'll see who's laughing after this!" yelled Cyborg as he fired his blaster.

This time, Cinderblock managed to block the blast. He then picked up a large chunk of concrete which he catapulted at Cyborg. The titan dodged the giant projectile and then proceeded to run yelling "Missed me" at the monster. Cinderblock continued to throw whatever he could at Cyborg while at the same time getting angrier at the continuous mocking. Little did Cinderblock know, the two titans switched roles; this time, Cyborg became the distraction. Using his grappling hook, Robin swung down and landed on Cinderblock's shoulders. Before the creature could get his hands on the young acrobat, Robin jumped off and landed in front of Cinderblock but not before planting a disc on the monster's head. A beep and the disc exploded, encasing Cinderblock in ice.

"Buddy, you need to chill-out," jived Robin.

He turned around and gave a big smile along with a thumbs-up. Cyborg returned his gesture by pumping his fist in the air.

"Aw-right!"

Robin was about to leave when a crack came from behind him. The cracking noise turned into a loud smashing noise followed by a roar. Just like that, Cinderblock broke free from the ice.

Seeing this, Cyborg immediately yelled, "Look out!"

Robin didn't even have a chance to react when Cinderblock took hold of him. The beast's grip was tight, causing Robin to let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Robin!"

"Cyborg! Blast him! Quick!"

Cyborg was about to take another shot at Cinderblock when the monster threw Robin into a nearby building.

"Robin! ROBIN!" cried Cyborg.

Cinderblock looked at Cyborg and growled as if to say "You're next." He then charged at the still shocked titan. But before hitting Cyborg, a wave of green energy halted the assailant. Starfire was now the one that got into the ring with Cinderblock.

"Cyborg! Dude, snap out of it!" yelled Beast Boy as he ran to the side of Cyborg. Raven was right behind him.

At that moment, Cyborg finally came to. His disposition quickly changed from shock to anger.

"Are you okay?" asked Raven.

Cyborg stood up and transformed both of his hands to cannons.

"Never mind me! He got Robin!"

"What?" shouted Raven and Beast Boy in unison.

"Where is he?" asked Beast Boy.

"No time to explain! Let's take down Cinderblock and fast!"

"Uh, guys? A little help?" Starfire cried out from her battle with Cinderblock as she flew around and fired at him.

"You heard the lady! Titans, go!" commanded Cyborg.

Beast Boy morphed into a tyrannosaurus rex and Raven's eyes glowed as she prepared her powers. In a flash, the remaining members of the team joined the fray and worked together to bring down the threat.

"Did you find him?" called out Cyborg as he turned over a fallen pillar.

"No," answered the others in a despondent manner.

The building in which Robin was thrown into had collapsed. Their greatest fear at the moment was that their teammate—their leader—had been crushed and buried in the mountain of rocks and metals. Starfire was the most disturbed at this turn of events. She flew over to Cyborg.

"Please, Cyborg, remember. Where did he land?"

"Star, if I knew, we would've found him by now. I-I just don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know."

"What are you trying to say? That Robin is gone? That he is lost? That just cannot be!"

Beast Boy and Raven came over. Their expressions said that Robin was nowhere to be found.

"Star, calm down. We'll find him," comforted Beast Boy.

"Getting all flustered is pointless. Let us just resume our search," said Raven.

Starfire sighed.

"Yes, you are right."

"I am right."

"Look, Star," started Cyborg, "I am sorry. I let my guard down and-and..."

"Hush, my friend. No need to explain any further. I, too, am sorry for getting angry. I am just so worried."

"We know. I'm worried; we're all worried."

Thus, they resumed their search. They scattered into four different directions, flipping everything that was in their way.

"By the way," said Cyborg, "how'd you guys take care of Plasmus?"

"It was Beast Boy," replied Starfire. "He had such a brilliant plan!"

"Really? Beast Boy?"

"Oh, shucks guys. You're making me blush."

"So Beast Boy hatched up a plan? Raven?"

Raven rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, he got lucky. I still can't believe it worked, though."

"All that matters is that it worked. Told ya so!"

"Enough."

"Told ya so, told ya so!"

"What exactly was B. B.'s plan?"

"Elementary, my dear friend Cyborg. I simply—"

"Guys!" Starfire suddenly called out. "Over here!"

The rest of the titans rushed over and looked to where Starfire was pointing. Underneath a couple of rubble, the corner of a black article of clothing was visible.

"That must be his cape!" exclaimed Beast Boy.

They all rushed over and pushed all the debris away. At last, their search bore fruit because it was, in fact, their leader who was blanketed by the sheet of concrete.

"Robin!" cried Starfire.

She knelt beside the unconscious Robin and turned him over. She then crouched over and placed her ear on his chest. It was a moment before she said anything. Her teammates were tense waiting for the result.

"He is... I can hear his heart! He is alive!"

The group heaved a giant sigh of relief. Starfire sat Robin up and held him in her arms. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Aw, Star, don't cry," said Beast Boy.

Raven placed her hand on Starfire's shoulder.

"No need to cry. He's safe now. You—I mean— we can relax."

"Here Star," said Cyborg kneeling down. "I got 'im."

Starfire wanted to hold onto him a little longer but she knew it would be best if he was in Cyborg's care. After releasing her embrace, Cyborg lifted Robin in his arms.

"My biometrics can only say that he is alive. We'll get the full report back at the tower. Let's go."

Starfire nodded wiping the tears running down her cheeks. She was the first to leave. Raven followed her closely in the hopes of keeping Starfire stable.

"Only Raven can really comfort her now," noted Beast Boy.

"Yeah," replied Cyborg.

The two soon after followed the trail of the two girls.

"You know what I don't get?" asked Beast Boy.

"What?"

"Your bio-thingy could've said what Starfire had just told us. So why wait?"

"I actually don't know."

"But it sure was dramatic."

"Yeah, it was."

Chapter end