Starfire's Arc: To Be a Heroine

by LitBlueEyed

Her two worlds at war, Tamaran and Earth, it is Starfire's time to be larger than who she is. It is time for her to defy the principals of war, to become the tie between the two worlds, to break the limit of bravery, to overthrow the meaning of loyalty, and To Be A Heroine. In the mess of the cataclysm, love remains constant. Paring: Robin&Starfire Please enjoy (I don't own series)

20. Chapter 19: To Be a Heroine

An awakening, he was called to. The rough lick of pebbles itched his back and scratched his head, still pulsing with a pain—the memory of it so far off, almost dream-like, emerging from the fog looming between his thoughts. 'Where am I?'

His skin was tight and his mouth was dry from the white sand that blew its way through. In a white veil, his wounds were peppered. His breaths were slow—timed in motion with the gusts of wind as a reminder to keep breathing. His chest clutched with pain, pinning him to the dust-bowl ground, sending his heart into shock as he attempted to move. He struggled. Encouraged by the hushed babble sounding from somewhere, he slowly blinking back into reality, such darkness swayed into color—three suns quivered upon the horizon that lie between two massive cliffs. Clumped around his body, a crowd of people, stooped over, shoulder blades high, holding themselves tenderly, materialized into place, he being in the direct eye.

For honor they were told. For glory they were told.

Eyes wide! In a desert he was, stiffly scampering in shock of the epic cliffs snarling from above. Suddenly, the clinging of chains sounded at the cue to yank Robin back into position, him to carelessly bump into a stranger—that stranger of no emotion just to aimlessly stare at the ground. His mouth was unhinged as if he was trying to breath away the moment. Robin gave a slow breath, his brows pushed upward in sympathy for a mourning crowd. He looked around. Five rows of seven were in chains, and the remainder was in line, being thrown down and locked into place one by one—chained to a chrome platform, shinning in the last of daylight. A red 'X' was painted beneath their knees.

His eyes flooded to the floor and shut—he to quiver in shame.

Ten Tamaraneans, spears high, armor polished, and helmets down patrolled the crowd. Locked in place they were only to abandon at the red flashing of the bomb—its warning. However, one looked to Robin's direction. Robin wide eyes narrowed, trying not to tremble in the brokenness of the scene. Swishing his shoulder to and fro, Robin peeped his head higher than the others, frantically scanning each face.

"Raven!" He yelled against the babble. "Cyborg! Beast Boy!" Babble went louder and he found himself sinking—sinking in a crowd, all terrified, all so scared.

'Robin.' Words locked onto Robin's mind.

'Raven, is that you?'

'Are you hurt?'

'Please tell me you and the boys are safe!'

Eyes locked upon his desk where a watch ticked to the current time, he stood still. Hunched over, snarl-faced he was as he folded the telegram. His eyes narrowed, suspecting the nearing of footsteps. Taking a deep breath, he stowed away the note, hiding away the details of a failed plan. Of the four titans, one remained free.

"President Roak." His voice was still.

"We have no time for goodbyes, General." Upon the desk, he placed his black jacket festooned with golden badges that received light oh so well. Secondly, he removed his gloves and with his bare hands, he touched the rim of his glasses and gingerly stowed them upon the jacket. Slowly, he drew up his stance. Looking down from his shoulder, he shifted his eyes to catch a glimpse of the man mid-salute.

"Where are you to go?"
"Out into the battle fields." His voice shook, "to-to make sure Tamaran keeps their end of the deal. I know their missile is great. Spies tell of her angelic wings and of her demonic power. It is programed to absorb the majority of their sunlight."

"A suicide move—"

"Not suicide… but close…" Roak looked up from his palms and met Superman, "I know I am a violent man, General, but it is done by passion. Passion for Earth. Passion for our people." He paused, pacing to the window, he to look upon the crowd, still pumping itself with recruits. "On the lives of seventy-seven, the whole army will be spared, am I correct? If Tamaran desperate enough to annihilate herself in order to defeat an enemy, I will admit, I have met my match." He paused, returning to Superman's attention, "But if such treaty is betrayed, I will admit, I have met my superior."

"They agreed to kill seventy-seven when they can kill us all?"

"Strange is it not? They want revenge, but will not take anything more? By this plan, we are able to leave a 'bigger mark' on the planet than we thought."

He was stern and held back his tongue. "Where am I to be, President?"

"I advise you to remain on the southern front. I and one hundred will keep surveillance in the north—where the mouth of the valley opens."

"Will Tamaran be able to see you?"

"We will have the high grounds. No."

"Will you be able to see the sacrifice?"

His voice was still, "…One spot for a recruit to fill remains open which means one more innocent is to die…" he snarled at the escape of a Titan, "…the blood of good men, I wish not to see…"

There was a pause of mind, before another connect riddled itself in.

'Robin, I'm three rows back. I can see you.'

A slow gasp, "…no…" Immediately, he locked back onto his mind, 'Raven, where are the others?'

'Cyborg's now three rows ahead and…' her strong voice collapsed, 'Beast Boy… they haven't found him.'

'Can you break us loose?'

'I've tried—the cuffs are suppressing my magic. They have to break off first."

'Can you put me in contact with Cyborg's mind?'

'Robin,' the thought took a masculine voice, 'Robin, is that you?'

'Cyborg, are you hurt? Are you alright?'

'Robin, this is bad man! Very bad!'

Robin collapsed in guilt, 'This is all our faults.' He paused, fear breaking from his heart, he to rise from the sand. 'Seventy-seven lives or one thousand. Killing innocence is killing innocence.' He paused.

'No one is innocent in this game.' Raven locked back in.

'I can think of one person.'

A shooting star! It slashed though the falling light. Miles and miles it had to go, but with thrusting throw, she plunged forward, weary-eyed—tears wanting to spill. In those eyes held fire. Her mouth unhinged, she pleaded for time. It slipped between her fingers and the faster she flew to recover it.

'How many left to chain?' Robin pushed a hand to his temple.

'That's it. Seven rows of eleven."

Suddenly, a massive clapping pierced the heavens in thunderous screams. Frenzied to find relief, the crowd frantically shook back and forth, thrusting their heads to their bonded hands to hush such sound. Chains rattled and a massive wind storm blew through the mouth of the valley, sweeping through the tamaranean first and earthen second. All eyes ascended to the heavens as a massive contraption with feathered-like wings peaked over the cliffs.

'God.'

Into the dying pink skies, a bulked missile flapped, wiping away smoke and throwing it to the ground in swirling gusts. By the moment, it positioned itself where three suns aligned and such a shadow—a three forked shadow—fell on Tamaran. All—everything—bowed to darkness.

In the eyes of a boy, time slowed: the flapping of such a contraption's wings merely slowed into a seeming hypnotizing dance, the cries of men and women hushed into silence, and feeling washed away into nothing. Positioned across the sky, three suns surrendered their intensity to the tamaranean born contraption and sparklets of blistering balls of white light flowed to the missile's keep. Airborne in flight, Beast Boy was ready to break. Morphing back to a boy, he hit the UFE roof, eyes locked on such a crowd.

"RAVEN! CYBORG! ROBIN!"

None could hear. Robin's eyes hit the ground, slowly rising to meet another's. That soldier still looked to him. In this stare, Robin remained, eyes was so far away, but a voice spoke into silence. "I know you."

*BOOM!*

Fireworks blasted into the heavens, flicking heavy lights upon the chrome base of the missile. Explosions shot throughout the sky, their tails pointing the sky where a green pterodactyl swung a bat in its beak. Flapping in, out, and in between the explosions of color, he twirled through the smoke, firing rocket after rocket after rocket. Colors filled the sky, taking every inch of attention from the missile, redirecting it to the batter himself.

Kro'ka's head shot straight up at each burst of sound, followed by color. "HUK'G LUG S'GON! (What is the meaning of this)?"

Fast! Fast she flew! Only miles! Only miles to go! There in the sky! Her eyes darted to the splatters of pink lighting up the sky. Boom! Now orange! Now white! Ascending up a cliff, she went, swinging against the rush of air that pushed her forth. Oh so far away flapped a missile, she witnessed its flight. Boom! Another burst of fireworks! She followed it fast!

Robin folded to the blast of shouts in his mind. Raven gasped, 'is that Beast Boy?'

Cyborg gave a grim chuckle, 'he's giving a distraction!'

Robin remained in the soldier's stare, wide eyed.

"I know you."

"I know you."

"I know you."

Robin could hear him perfectly and forgot to question why. His gaze glossed against his for a slow moment, time ranged by his throbbing heartbeat. In the wake of emotion, pain, fear, and courage, Robin's voice hinged hysterically, "W-What ties you to me?"

At the dive, the pterodactyl free fell from an ash-filled sky, swirling in flight, shooting down as if to hit the crowd. Locked on contact with the ground, he spread his wings—them to catch the up-draft of the wind and glide across the crowd. Robin saw him coming and screamed his name.

"BEAST BOY! HERE!"

Suddenly, he shifted to a boy, broke from flight, and tumbled into his friend. Eyes went wide and the chanting, screaming, and calling grew near. Yanked back by their chains, people dramatically lunged to the boy—scared and shell shocked to think about honor and glory by their sacrifices. Into a mouse, he shifted, avoiding the swinging bodies. He scurried down from Robin's shoulder and to his palms. Guards rushed over in a slow gallop.

"Beast Boy, we need to free these people! Is there any way you can break me loose?"

He gave a wink and wiggled through the small space between Robin's cuffed wrists. Suddenly, they snapped off, leaving Robin amazed.

He rubbed his wrists, "Woah, how'd you do that?"

Beast Boy shifted back to size, one hand to the ground, supporting his squat, "after five years of pranking and crime, Rob, I think I've learned a lot about getting in and out of cuffs."

*WHOOSH!*

An edge of a blade swung across the air, sending Beast Boy to clumsily tumble out of the way. Robin's kick knocked the guard out of the way, sparing his friend.

From the infantry of purple men, Robin pushed his friend, lashing back to yell. "GO! RELEASE RAVEN AND CYBORG!"

Raised from the crowd, he found himself in the eye of the crowd—in the center of war. Slow breaths, he met the guards that rode a fast flight to his direction. He drew up his stance and readied his palms.

Eclipsed by the rush of bodies, the image of that soldier—the one of graceful eyes—remained. He was still, spear dropped.

'What ties me to you?'

"RYAND'R!" A deep voice barked, "SHRUK (Attack!)!"

Dodging the swing of a soldier's blade, Beast Boy flipped to the air, stumbling upon the landing, collapsing into the flood of people. Hands reached out and grabbed his shirt, pulling him down.

"Please! Release me Sir Beast Boy!"

"Help me!"

"Beast Boy!"

Dramatically, he shifted his weight into a roll and hit an empath, locked to the ground. She gave a smirk. "You know what to do."

From the northern infantry, Kro'ka's eyes fell upon the crowd violently swaying back and forth in their fixed places. His eyes narrowed to find one in the swarm of purple men in flight. Fists were thrown and spears were launched and dodged. A bullet of anger shot through him, and he slammed his fists down. "Glun'kr rom toka! (They're going to release men!)" General Kro'ka launched himself from his position, his army to in back wide eyed. "Bohr! te norka! (Get ready to clash men! Full force!)"

Raven's bonds pathetically fell to the floor with a cling and she tucked away mouse-form Beast Boy upon her shoulder.

"Cyborg!" She yelled over the sea of men to a metal-man's attention, he swinging his shoulders to and fro, "Hold fast!" Mouth down turned, she rose, swung a black wave around Robin, and another around Cyborg—his bonds to break by her impact. By her magic, the Titans were consumed in a cover of black and at a blink of an eye, they were back to back in the middle of a war. Guards rampaged around them, swinging to and fro.

"TITANS GO!"

From weakness, Starfire tumbled to the sand only to shoot back into airborne's arms on the dawning thought of her friends, her family, her everything she ever loved. Crying violently, she plunged forward into the arms of hell gated smoke and screams.

Raven's palms struck together, unleashing a bundle of black energy, spurting into a bubble. Her eyes burned with white color and the black unleashed! Like a rock's impact to a pool, ripples of black waves swept through the crowd and the clinging of unlocking chain joined together in a chiming choir. As if crows were released from a net, flocks of men in black darted from the missile's target and swarmed the guards for freedom. Men swarmed the hit-zone. Surrounding Raven, the three boys fought the rapid-fire thrusts of spears held by men in dark helmets.

Blue beams of Cyborg erupted left and right, launching soldiers back. Dodge, hit, swing, miss. The Titans unknowingly began to separate, their backs distancing with each repelling attacks. Swarms of men—black and purple clashed around them. From a distance, the two armies marveled at the mosh pit.

In the wake of chaos, Robin caught the eye of that one soldier—he was still.

'What ties me to you?'

Suddenly, a massive force hit his gut—Robin to tumble, feeling the ground's thump to his head. Unfolded, he sprang up into to grasp of a metal hand's lock. The choke-hold launched itself around his neck, pinning him once more to the dust-bowl ground. A tamaranean hunched above, his heavy knee upon Robin's chest, spear glittering in the lowlight. His friends were far off—too far to hear his yelling. Flinching, he closed his eyes to find darkness so peaceful.

*WHAM!*

A force doubling in strength slammed through the tamaranean, knocking him unconscious upon the ground—Robin freed to look at the damage! That soldier! That soldier whipped his head back from Robin's attack and to Robin on the ground, wide eyed. Despite the rush of chaos, time bet in a slow rhythm as he removed his helmet to reveal wide, green, child-like eyes, soft cheeks, and red locks of hair. He spoke, lifting his hand from his pocket, unfolding to reveal a familiar photo in his grasp: him and a girl looking back at one another. "Starfire."

Robin's furrow went wide-eyed, "Wildfire?"

Frantically, Kro'ka whirled around to meet his army, them shoving their shoulders to witness the violent dance in the dustbowl mosh pit. Their family below, their brave expressions shrank. Slowly, the General turned back to the pit of the valley. He took a breath and spoke with ferocity. "TOKA! BU'HA (Men! Help them)!" And down they ran, men flooding down the hillside like a waterfall of purple, into the arms of the hit zone. Foreign cries barked by blood-thirsty voices bet into the canyon.

"General Superman! They're invading! They're invading!"

"WHAT?"

A loud roar and Earth briefly grounded themselves in their stances upon solid rock. Bellow was chaos. On top of their hills was safety. Suddenly, the cry of Superman and a far off voice upon the cliffs of the North: "MEN! ATTACK!" With the Tamaraneans, down went the earthen armies, sandwiching Tamaran in the middle. A three pronged mass of men under a three fading suns rode down the hills in a dramatic gallop. They targeted the mosh pit.

Caught in the collision of reality, Robin was stricken—only to be called into action. He plunged to the defense of Wildfire. Eyeing opposite directions, they stood back to back in the hit zone.

"Please!" Hit! Swing! Miss! Dodge! Whirl! Hit." "What is your name?"

"Robin!"

"Do you know how to fight in pairs, Robin?"

He gave a smirk.

Robin hooked his arm around Wildfire's—he to swing the earthling, launching him against a guard, who fell by impact in the between rows of chains. Arm and arm still locked, Wildfire gave a swing of his blade, backing off the guards from the boy. They whirled around another in a dueling dance. Cling! Swords met, paralyzing their holders in a stalemate stare. The blades, dealt by the strength of the wielders, weighed upon another. At a swing, Robin delivered a blow to the guard's chest. The crowd swung and swayed frantically to avoid the wrath of the blade.

Wind blew frantically. Fireworks lit up the sky in explosions of color. Screams and cried pierced the night, rumbling the ground. At a blade's launch, Wildfire intercepted, sparing his friend. Rah! Robin dealt another blow to a chest. Another man lunged, Robin to grab the wrist before the chop of his blade, swing himself into another soldier, and finish with a flip. He beckoned back to his friend.

The rounded each other, back against back—too locked in battle to see the collision course of the two armies, them being in the middle.

She saw it! She saw it! Pulsing emotion consumed her thoughts, releasing anger, hurt, frustration, pain, and sadness! About to let out a scream, time suddenly began to beat in a slow rhythm as her eyes locked on the war. Black swallowed the southern foothills. Purple in the North and more black on top of them. Like waves, they slowly came crashing down, spitting men upon the surface.

Like the legendary red sea, the mosh pit parted, retreating back to the armies! Twenty of Earth and Twenty of Tamaran ripped an earthling from a tamaranean, them thrusting under the weight of arms. They screamed! Their hold on another breaking!

"Wildfire!"

"Robin!"

The names! The names she heard so clearly! A tear spilled and in her fast flight, she pushed an arm to her cheek, and threw herself into a twirl. Speed slammed back and the bomb in mid hover swooshed by!

Like a retreating waves, the infantries from the mosh pit hit the full force of their armies, them to rise with strength!

Raven, consumed in the running of men in black, broke down. The scene she had already seen through the thoughts of Robin danced before her.

*BOOM!* Fireworks rocketed!

With a jolt, whipped around into the collision of a battle scene! Spears, daggers, and bolts erupted into the frame! Purple and flashing lights blew! Wind struck out of the frame! Chaos erupted as two armies ran to collide with another! No! Please stop!

*BOOM!*

...she, encased in white flames, hit the ground...

The ground broke to pieces! Rippling like water, throwing back violent men from another! By the up-lash of rock, they were launched back into the arms of their armies and rose to their feet with confusion. The ground trembled and all fell upon their knees. White sand swished to their air by the mighty impact to the ground, misting each army from another. The South was still. The North was still. Those upon the northern hills were still.

A burst of blinding white lights shot through the veil of sand, wiping it away furiously, it to rush the scarred faces of soldiers. From the smoke, a girl arose, her hands struck to both directions of the armies, ignited with such light. Her arms were bloody, her face was downturned into a snarl, and her brows pushed down furiously upon her face. A crown locked itself upon the frame of her face and a golden belt shimmered in the light ready to blast the battlefield. Her bolts strengthened, doubling with energy.

"Do. Not. Move."

The Titans gasped, "Starfire? Starfire!" Instantly, they pushed their way through the crowd.

Kro'ka readied his spear, glaring eyes locked on Superman. "Get out of the way, Starfire."

"We don't want to hurt you." Superman glared back.

Slowly, she looked up to the missile in flight. Her head bobbed back down to her chest. Her eyes closed and she powered down. The crowds watched her arms lower to her sides and she, flickering her eyes to an open, stepped onto the target painted onto the chrome platform in red paint, sending the crowd into a dramatic gasp.

"Princess!"

"No! Starfire!"

"Pri'sera!"

"Get out of the bomb's way!"

In the middle of the target, unlocked chains scattered across the chrome, she slowly turned around, back towards the bomb. She addressed the crowd.

"GLU'K TARO QU'OP MU? IS SEVENTY-EIGHT LIVES NOT ENOUGH?"

They were silent.

"PERHAPS SEVENTY-NINTH WILL FIX THIS MISTAKE! TE' GUNG D'BUJK! PERHAPS A SEVENTY-NINTH LIFE WILL STOP ALL THIS!" Tears leaked from her stained cheeks. She clutched her head. "I cannot stop crying!" She cursed herself.

In two languages she screamed into the valley, her voice rushing up and over the hills, beginning with English and translating in Tamaranean. "WE GROW UP TO BELIEVE IN THE FIRM DISTINCTION BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK! GOOD AND EVIL!" She pressed out another bulk of voice, the crowd to watch with anxiousness. "WE DUB OURSELVES HEROES AND HEROINES AND LET THE REST BE KNOWN AS VILLIANS! YES?"

She looked to Tamaran. "DO WE NOT CALL OURSELVES LIGHT AND DO EVIL THINGS? WE FIGHT TO DEFEND, BUT VALUE THE DEATHS OF OUR ENEMIES!" She looked to Earth, "WE KNOW OUR FAULTS, BUT SEE TO JUSTIFY THEM WITH MORE VIOLENCE!"

She translated her speech for Tamaran. Men and women gawked before her, their eyes stuck upon her presence, glittering in the light above. She broke, lowering her voice. "A friend once told me that none is fully evil and none is fully good and we are bound to fail. Her voice built up once more, "WITH FAILTURE MUST EXIST FORGIVENESS! O-OR Else! We will die in wars waged against brothers. WE MAY LOOK DIFFERENT, BUT WE SHARE COMMON NATURES. NIETHER ARE WE LIGHTS NOR DARKS, BUT GRAYS, YES?"

She translated in Tamaranean.

"DO YOU NOT SEE? WE START WARS BASED ON CONFUSION AND EXPECT TO WIN THEM AS HEROES. HOW CAN WE WHEN WE MUST KILL HUNDREDS OF INNOCENTS TO GAIN OUR GLORY? TAMARAN, EARTH SAW YOU AS A THREAT WHEN YOU WERE NOT AND DESTROYED ONES YOU LOVE SO DEARLY," she laid graceful eyes upon Kro'ka. "EARTH, THINKING YOU MUST PROTECT 'SOL' YOU LAUNCHED AN ATTACK TO BE DEALT REVENGE BY THE PLANET THAT GRIEVED THE LIVES OF SEVENTY-SEVEN." She paused, throwing her hands to her head, "I SCREAM THESE FACTS AS IF NO ONE KNOWS!" Her eyes dripped to her feet, they to rise and address the crowd. "…I fear the truth is that we all know how this war began and choose not to let it end…we choose revenge."

"WE ALL HAVE LOVE FOR OUR PLANETS. CAN LOVE NOT DO AMAZING THING? MY MOTHER..." Her voice broke, "...A N-NOW MY SISTER HAVE DIED TO SAVE... to save me. MY FRIENDS RISK THEIR LIVES TO SAVE CITIZENS EACH DAY. A-all because we love. I BELIEVE LOVE CAN FIX THE DAMAGE WE HAVE BEGUN…and can even help us turn away…from all this…"

"LOVE IS THE ONLY THING THAT CAN SAVE US FROM OURSELVES! PLEASE HEAR ME!""

Slowly, she turned her back to the crowed and graced her head to the sky. She laid a hand upon her crown and another upon her belt. "Seventy-Seven were killed in the bombing—one being a beloved brother. The seventy-eight was killed during an escape—she being a beloved sister."

She murmured under her breath, "Four more I thought were dead and I want to die as well—they being my family."

She turned back to the valley and took a deep breath, "I love Earth." Her voice shook, "I love Tamaran. To stop all this, must I be the seventy-ninth." A roar came from the missile above and she surrendered her hands to the air.

…there was silence... sweeping silences… and she let the tears free-fall from her cheeks…

...

Suddenly a clinging of metal joined together in a choir's song, Starfire to open her glossy eyes and witness the abandoning of weapons. They dropped upon the ground, chiming against another when they touched. Swords began to bury themselves in white dust that swished up to consume the colors of purple and black, colors labeling on man as a type of soldier. Like she, all were is white. Gently, he hand cupped her mouth and a contagious smile spread, she hiccuping on disbelief and laughter.

Four pushed through crowds! They ran as if through a field of wheat, searching frantically. They leapt over heads and jumped over bodies! They called her name loudly, but before she heard them, the spewing of red flashed from the missile, shooting projections across her feet. The crowd gasped in horror. Too late to run, they were all became the hit-zone. Starfire being the direct target. Another set of flashes and Starfire looked down upon her hands, catching the rays.

The warning before the explosion.