Disclaimer: Don't own Teen Titans or Supergirl
Of Allies and Enemies
Supergirl sighed as she flew through the streets of Jump City. She didn't know why she'd pulled out her cape for an evening flight through the city. This city had heroes to protect it, the teen titans, but she was feeling anxious and needed some fresh air.
She rounded the corner and found that a battle had been going on for quite some time. It was two females, and it was abundantly clear the fight was one-sided. The smaller girl was no match for the taller one whom Kara assumed by her attire and facial features was a Tamaranean.
The apparent Tamaranean had the smaller girl pinned to the ground, straddling the girl's chest and a tight stranglehold on her throat. The victim was fighting back but the strength of the Tamaranean was too great for her, and it was clear she was in a hopeless situation.
Supergirl didn't hesitate, the smaller one was fading fast and if she didn't act she would be a witness to murder. She took off at speed shoulder ramming the Tamaranean girl off of the other one and into a nearby building coming to stand over the victim.
She saw a yellow and black communicator nearby and recognized it as belonging to one of the Teen Titans and wondered why the battle had gone on so long without aid arriving. Then she realized the communicator was non-functional. It looked as if the Tamaranean had fried it with a star bolt. She turned realizing the victim of this attack had lost consciousness. This was hardly something Supergirl would call a fight, the girl behind her hadn't had a prayer. She then turned back to see the attacker had fled.
She then knelt over the girl to assess the injuries and see what, if anything, she could do. Then she noticed a small, unassuming piece of metal sitting by the girl's head. It was a half heart-shaped pendant with the words "little sister" engraved in its surface. It also looked as if it had been forcefully ripped off. She picked it up as she heard a motorcycle approaching her and wondered who this sweet little token belonged to. She thought it must belong to the victim of this vicious assault; the assailant didn't seem the sort to wear something so heartwarmingly thoughtful.
Supergirl wished she knew the titans better, wished she could remember their names so she could call this girl by her name and reassure her she was safe and that her Tamaranean attacker would be no match for her, the 'Girl of Steel'.
Raven had been on a quiet patrol when she found herself being attacked. She sent out an emergency beacon but feared help wouldn't arrive in time. Especially after a black bolt knocked her t-phone out of her hand effectively frying it.
She looked to her horror to see that her attacker was none other than Blackfire. A sense of dread washed over her as she tried, ineffectively, to defend herself against the much stronger Tamaranean. Her magic only helped so much, and she was outclassed in every other aspect of this fight. It became abundantly clear that teleporting to safety wasn't an option, Blackfire knew her tactics, knew she would attempt to flee in the face of an opponent who so thoroughly outclassed her in every physical way, and didn't give her the opportunity to do so.
Blackfire had Raven pinned to the side of a building when she noticed a glint of metal around the sorceress's neck.
"Cute… let me guess my little sister gave this to you" she said getting her first good look at the pendant and it's engraving. "Aww… she calls you her little sister." Blackfire gave a patronizing smile grasping the pendant and ripping it from around Raven's neck with more force than was necessary leaving a deep bruise where the chain had wrapped around the back of Raven's neck.
"Let's see how she feels when her little sister dies at her big sister's hands!"
That last statement made Raven's blood run cold. She knew Blackfire could easily kill her and wouldn't shed a single tear at the death. She'd relish it, her death would be slow, and she had no doubt she would suffer at the disgraced princess's hands.
Raven tried to cry out for some kind of help when she felt herself slammed to the ground. Blackfire straddled her chest her hands squeezing at her throat cutting off her air supply and the blood to her brain. Everyone had fled when the fight began knowing they had less chance in this fight than Raven herself did, but Raven wouldn't give up easily. Her beacon had activated, and the team was coming she just had to hold out long enough for them to get to her.
"Don't bother… you have no chance against me." Blackfire said in vicious glee.
Raven clawed and fought trying to get free, trying to get a breath. She was unable to focus, unable to form a portal under herself to form a means of escape and the world was fading fast. It was just when Raven had resigned herself that all hope was lost, and the darkness almost consumed her entirely that the grasp on her throat released and the weight on her torso was dislodged with a force she couldn't comprehend. Her lungs filled rapidly causing her to cough and spasm but all she could think of was she was safe. Having not actually seen her rescuer she could only assume Starfire had gotten there in time to deal with her sister.
Nightwing rounded the corner having gotten the first indicators of a distress beacon from Raven before it was cut off. He turned and rushed to her last location, but he feared he would not be fast enough.
He got there to see Supergirl kneeling over Raven trying to do what she could, but something was wrong.
"Supergirl?" Nightwing said in surprise then ran to her side and saw the deep handprints on Raven's throat. Heavy bruises on her pale grey skin. The way she was gasping for every breath. What had happened?
"She was attacked… severely outmatched… I don't know who it was but by the appearance and attire I would assume the attacker was Tamaranean." Supergirl explained "She was being strangled when I arrived. I slammed her attacker off that way, but she fled when she saw me. I think she realized who and or what I am and fled."
"That's likely, Blackfire would at least know of you and your reputation" Nightwing replied as he went down to their level to assess his teammate.
"Wait… you… you know who attacked her?" Supergirl asked in shock.
"Yes… but now is not the time… I'll explain later" Nightwing replied turning his attention to Raven.
"Raven… Raven it's me…" he said in a soft, brotherly tone and to Supergirl's shock she reacted, amethyst eyes opening a crack to look at Nightwing, but it wasn't clear if she saw him.
"Her trachea and larynx are damaged she can barely get any air at all." Supergirl supplied.
"Raven… let go… I know you're afraid but let the healing trance take you, I'm here I will protect you… Blackfire is gone."
Supergirl watched as the girl, Raven as Nightwing called her, touched her throat.
"I know… I know it's hard to breathe now… this will help" he pulled something from his utility belt and pressed a couple of buttons, the cylindric main portion of the device lit up a strange shade of icy blue and he placed it over her nose and mouth. Supergirl could only assume it was some sort of breathing apparatus.
In seconds Raven fully lost consciousness.
"What is that?" Supergirl asked.
"Cyborg invented it, it's like an oxygen mask but with the capability of taking the ambient air and concentrating to the equivalent of hospital grade high flow oxygen." He looked at his motorcycle and groaned "I can't take her on that, not in this condition and Cyborg and Starfire are on the other side of the city. They're on their way but it's going to take too long I have to get her to the tower!"
"Nightwing, it's okay, I'll carry her, you ride, I'll follow in the air with her." Supergirl volunteered.
"Okay…" he seemed reluctant but soon Supergirl was flying with Raven in her arms following Nightwing towards Titan's Tower.
"'Wing what was that distress call?" Cyborg asked.
"Someone attacked Raven… a witness said they saw someone fitting the description of Blackfire trying to strangle her." Nightwing replied.
"Wait… there was a witness…to a fight with Blackfire, and they didn't head for the hills?"
"The witness was Supergirl, and she's the only reason Raven is alive now." Nightwing explained "She wasn't a passive observer she interfered and saved Raven from dying by Blackfire's hand."
"Damn… we got lucky What is Supergirl doing in Jump City to begin with?"
"I don't know but at the moment I'm too thankful that she was here to even think about asking why she was there."
"Amen, now we have to get Blackfire! Cause we titans don't sit idle when one of own almost gets murdered!"
Cyborg then broadcast that all titans should return to the tower for debriefing on the new development.
Nightwing guided Supergirl into the tower and to the med bay where he instructed her to put Raven on a bed where she soon began to float about a foot to a foot and a half off of the surface after he switched from the high flow portable mask to the one that was built into the med bay systems that he would explain had better flow control and would last longer. The battery in the portable was already almost dead thus why he had to get her there so rapidly.
"What is happening?" Supergirl asked in shock.
"She went into a healing trance…" Nightwing explained "she's a sorceress and empath with a talent for empathic healing, and when she herself is injured she can go into this, a healing trance wherein she heals all of her injures no matter the severity in minutes to hours… this… this is going to take a while." He sighed "She didn't do it sooner because she couldn't focus due to the lack of oxygen."
Supergirl nodded silently, that made sense.
The team at first gathered in ops but then Cyborg realized if Raven had been strangled as Nightwing had suggested, they would be in med-bay, so he led the team down to see what was happening.
"Nightwing… what the hell happened?" Cyborg asked his eyes then landed on Supergirl along with those of the other two titans.
"Supergirl…" Starfire said her tone unsure.
"Hi… yeah that's me" she said with a smile recognizing the other girl as also Tamaranean.
"Thank you… for saving our friend" Cyborg said humbly.
Beast Boy was silent, his eyes resting on Raven who was still floating in the healing trance the high flow mask still in place.
"You know what happened better than I do, Supergirl, you explain." Nightwing said handing the floor to her.
"I was flying through the city trying to get some fresh air and work out some pent-up energy when I stumbled across the fight between your teammate, Raven, and one we are assuming is Blackfire." Supergirl explained "I immediately acted knocking Blackfire away from Raven and taking stance to take over the fight, but the attacker fled… though I do think I broke a few of her ribs with my hit."
If anything, Supergirl sounded abnormally unrepentant about breaking the attacker's ribs in her efforts to save Raven's life. Truth was she didn't regret it at all as a matter of fact she wished she had been able to inflict more damage on the Tamaranean girl, but Supergirl figured she would eventually get her chance.
"I used my x-ray vision to assess the damage." Supergirl explained further "Her hyoid was broken, her larynx was damaged, and trachea was partially crushed but if I'm right her attacker was holding back, savoring the feeling of Raven struggling to stay alive, otherwise she'd already be dead, not in the process of healing herself." Supergirl shuddered noticeably at the idea of someone enjoying the feeling of another individual fighting to keep from being strangled by their hand. Life slowly leaving the victim's body as they squeezed the other person's throat tightly.
Nightwing got Supergirl's attention to a monitor nearby.
"Is that who you saw attack her?" he asked pulling up an image of Blackfire.
"Yes… that's her… that's the girl I saw strangling your friend."
"That's a confirmation… that was Blackfire… and this was attempted murder."
Supergirl stopped remembering the pendant she now held in a pocket on the side of her outfit and pulled it out by its broken chain.
"Do any of you recognize this?" she asked.
Starfire gasped covering her mouth with her hand.
"I gave that to Raven for her birthday…" Starfire explained as she grasped the half heart shaped pendant that hung around her own neck that proclaimed "Big Sister" in matching script.
Supergirl handed the broken necklace to Starfire as she knew the Tamaranean would want to replace the chain and return the gift to Raven as soon as possible.
"That explains it…" Nightwing said "Blackfire would know that this was a gift from Starfire and change tactics as she realized it would hurt Starfire worse if she killed Raven. Initially I think Blackfire would have kept Raven alive to draw out Starfire, this enraged her enough that she decided to kill Raven outright and leave her body for Starfire to find. She just didn't count on you, Supergirl."
"Yeah, but you foiled her plan and trust me, that girl is tough." Cyborg added.
"So am I…" Supergirl returned "But you still haven't told me how you all know Blackfire."
Starfire hesitated "Blackfire is my older sister" she said sadly.
Supergirl wasn't sure what to say, she couldn't imagine having you own flesh and blood hate you that much.
"Look, it seems like Blackfire left town to patch up the damage Supergirl did…" Nightwing sighed as he started to leave the room. "I'm going to go monitor the police band… I want to know if any reports of Blackfire come in." he sighed.
"Star… let me see that…" Cyborg said reaching out for the necklace.
She reluctantly handed it to him.
"I'm supposed to go out in the morning to pick up some parts for the T-car… I'll grab a couple of new chains for these while I'm out… one for each of you so they still match" he said.
"Thank you, Cyborg" Starfire sighed.
"No prob…"
Cyborg invited Supergirl into the comfort of the living room to wait for Raven to regain consciousness and as she left she heard a chair moving as it seemed Beast Boy was settling in for the long haul.
"Is he okay?" she asked as the elevator closed.
"Beast Boy… he will be… once she wakes up" Cyborg sighed shaking his head sadly, "He's kinda out of it with the thought that he almost lost his girl… they've been together close to six months now and listening to you list off that list of life-threatening injuries to her throat alone that she sustained at Blackfire's hands didn't help him any. God only knows how many other injuries she sustained to other parts of her body. Blackfire is ruthless and likely played cat and mouse with Raven for God knows how long before she decided to end her. There is no telling how many other critical injuries Raven has from Blackfire."
"I feel bad for him… I mean he just heard that the girl he loves nearly died… and he can't even talk to her and reassure himself she is okay." Supergirl sighed.
They got to the main room and Cyborg went to the kitchen, putting Raven's necklace in a compartment in his arm so he didn't forget to stop by the jeweler to get a new chain for her and a matching one for Starfire so they could look the same.
"You hungry?" he asked as he went to raid the fridge.
"Yeah… I could eat." Supergirl replied "the downside of my powers is I have a higher metabolism than a human."
"Makes sense" Cyborg shrugged as he pulled out the ingredients to make some sandwiches.
Supergirl sat on one of the high barstools at the counter as he asked what she would want on her sandwich even though she had volunteered to make her own.
Starfire entered the room and Supergirl could tell she was upset.
"I cannot believe my sister would do that to Raven."
"Star you know Blackfire better than any of us… she would have attacked anybody if she thought it would draw you out to fight her… Raven was just unlucky… or lucky as the case may be" he said gesturing at Supergirl with the knife he had been using to spread mustard on a piece of bread. "Don't exactly think Blackfire expected Supergirl to show up… she was expecting you."
"Yeah… I didn't plan on being there either… but I thank Ral that I was…" Supergirl chimed with a smile.
"Ral… you are not of Earth either are you?" Starfire asked.
"No, I'm one of the last survivors of Krypton," Supergirl replied.
Starfire's hand went to her mouth involuntarily. She had heard of what had happened to Krypton and its people and was humbled to find herself in the presence of one of its only two known survivors.
Cyborg knew of Supergirl's Kryptonian origins but was still shocked at how casually she spoke of being one of the last of her race.
"I am too young to remember Krypton, but I have heard that it was a glorious civilization and… I… I am heartbroken for your loss." Starfire said clearly saddened by the revelation that she was looking at one of the last survivors of Krypton.
"It was, Starfire… but Earth is pretty amazing too." Supergirl replied with a smile. "I've heard some interesting stories about Tamaran as well… back on Krypton we had a healthy respect for what your people are capable of. We didn't see them often, but they are a unique and interesting culture, and it is something I would like to learn more about if you are willing to teach me."
"Of course…"
Cyborg gave Supergirl a look as if to ask if she really knew what she was getting herself into and Supergirl shrugged. It was actually true; she was always curious about other people groups and other cultures and how unique it would be to learn about another alien race from one of its people. She had heard the way some other aliens spoke of Tamaran and its people when she was growing up, like they were less than other races, not worthy of what they had fought so hard to have. She felt sick when she thought of the racism through the galaxy that was directed specifically at Tamaraneans, they were strong, capable people with minds as sharp as any other in the galaxy and didn't deserve the reputation they sometimes received.
Supergirl took her sandwiches, he'd made her two, and a soda from Cyborg and joined Starfire on the couch to talk and compare their unique cultures and Cyborg shook his head and started to make his own. He then watched as Supergirl laughed along with Starfire and he realized what he was seeing wasn't Starfire, not really… she wasn't her usual animated, chipper self and he realized it was because she was still worrying about Raven who was down in the med bay struggling to heal her own injuries.
Nightwing came in to check on Raven and removed the mask when he realized her throat had healed enough to allow for normal, unaided breathing.
"Garfield you need to go to bed." He sighed reverting to using Beast Boy's actual name.
"No, Richard, I can't… not till she comes out of this." Beast Boy replied biting out Nightwing's actual name as if it were a curse word.
"I know you're worried but she's fine…" Nightwing replied putting his hands up in a placating gesture then looking around for a second his eyes coming to rest on one of the other hospital style beds in the room.
"What are you thinking?" Beast Boy asked.
"A compromise…" he said moving the wheeled bed over closer to where Raven was placed when she arrived.
"You sleep here so when she wakes up you'll hear her." Nightwing suggested "Because you aren't doing yourself any favors by not getting any sleep."
Beast boy sighed and looked at the bed, sure these hospital beds weren't the most comfortable things on the planet, but they were infinity better than the idea of leaving her in the med bay to wake up alone after being so thoroughly trampled and nearly killed by Blackfire.
"Deal…" Beast Boy groaned as he sat on the edge of the bed, took his boots and gloves off before settling in to attempt to sleep.
To Be Continued…