The bright light of the medical wing bathed the small table in a warm glow. Nightwing was sitting across from Starfire, a cautious yet hopeful look on his face. She had made a remarkable recovery since their chaotic first encounter. She had slept through the night and half of the morning making sounds like a lawnmower, and woke up as if nothing had happened to her, and now, it was time to help her adjust to Earth customs, including its cuisine.
On the table in front of her was a large tray of food: a burger, fish and chips, a bowl of soup, some leftover sushi, and a soda. Nightwing had spent a fair bit of time making sure everything was easy to eat, even adding a few condiments on the side table for some variety. He leaned back in his chair, watching as Starfire studied the meal with wide, curious eyes as if she were a child looking at a flashy video game.
"Okay, this is called lunch. It's pretty simple—you eat the food and drink the soda. I figured you'd be hungry by now."
Starfire beamed brightly
"I am very much 'hungry,' as you say! This is the most glorious feast I have seen!"
Nightwing chuckled, relaxing slightly as he gestured at the food as if asking her to make her first move.
As Nightwing reached for his own cup of coffee, Starfire's attention was caught by a decorative pot plant on the table, tulips in full bloom. Her eyes lit up like stars in the sky, and before Nightwing could react or even process what she was doing, she greedily grabbed the plant, tilting it toward her mouth.
Nightwing cried out "Wait…Starfire! That's not food! That's a potted plant!"
But it was too late. Starfire chomped down enthusiastically on the tulips like a child eating candy, chewing with delight. She then proceeded to scoop out the soil with her hands, eating it as well and before Nightwing knew it she had eaten everything inside of the vase. Nightwing stared utterly bewildered.
Starfire cheerfully whipped her mouth as if she ate liquid gold "This... 'plant in the pot' is most delicious! It is crunchy and earthy! Do humans feast upon these often?"
Nightwing buried his hands into his face as he let out a cross between a laugh and a groan"Not exactly. We... uh... usually don't eat the flowers or the dirt. Let's stick to what's on the tray, okay?"
Starfire nodded, albeit reluctantly, setting down the now-empty pot. Nightwing sighed, glancing at the ruined tulips, and muttered to himself. "This is going to be a long lunch."
Starfire turned her attention to the tray and picked up the plate holding a burger. Nightwing watched, looking relieved that she was at least trying Earth food. Starfire stared at the burger. She stared, and she stared…
However, instead of taking a bite, she carefully removed the top bun…and shoved it into her mouth. Nightwing blinked rapidly trying to process what was going on. She then picked off the onions, eating them one by one, followed by the tomatoes and lettuce and the patty with the cheese on it.
Nightwing froze in disbelief as Starfire meticulously worked her way through the burger, until she was mopping her lips with the bottom bun and then shoving it in.
"Uh... Starfire, you're supposed to eat the whole thing. Together. Like this."
He demonstrated by picking up an imaginary burger and miming a bite. Starfire tilted her head in confusion.
"Why would one mix all the components at once? Does this not diminish their individual flavors?"
Nightwing sighed "That's just how we do it. It's... efficient."
Starfire paused as she tried to consider this, then shrugged as she continued exploring her meal, Starfire noticed the ketchup, mustard, and wasabi bottles sitting nearby. With childlike curiosity, she picked up all three, inspecting them closely.
Starfire examined the bottles with high curiosity "These small bottles contain the 'sauces,' yes? I believe that's the name of these things."
Nightwing looked on warily "Yeah, but they are like for dipping or spreading. You don't—"
Before he could finish, Starfire opened all three bottles and downed them in one gulp, her expression lighting up in delight.
Starfire beamed brightly as if she had just eaten the best thing in the world "Most delectable! This 'mustard' and 'wasabi' are the finest spices! May I have more?"
Nightwing looked stunned, unsure if to be amused or disgusted "Uh... sure. I guess?"
He handed her another bottle of mustard and a tube of wasabi, watching in disbelief as she polished the mustard bottle as if it wasjust as quickly.
"What a woman." Nightwing mumbled as Starfire practically shoved chips down her throat as she wolfed them down with wasabi.
"These 'chips' as you say are the most best!" Starfire said with her mouth overloaded with potatoes.
"Please don't eat with your mouth so full."
"Sorry!" Starfire mumbled
She picked up her soda. She sipped it cautiously at first, then set it down, studying it intently. Reaching for the salt and pepper shakers, she unscrewed both caps and poured them into the drink.
Nightwing stared horrified, "Wait—what are you doing?!"
"Enhancing the flavor, of course!"
She stirred the concoction with her spoon and took a large gulp, smiling brightly.
"Delightful! Your Earth beverages are most curious!"
Nightwing pinched the bridge of his nose as Starfire finally turned her attention to the soup. To his relief, she managed to eat it correctly, using the spoon as intended.
"Finally…" Nightwing mumbled more to himself than anyone else.
However, once the bowl was empty, she carefully placed it on her head like a hat.
Starfire waved her hands around jazzily and proudly "Behold! The 'bowl hat!' Does it not suit me?"
Nightwing sighed with a soft defeated smile "It's not a hat, Starfire. It's just a…never mind."
Finally, Starfire reached the fish and sushi. The moment she took her first bite, her eyes widened in delight. She devoured both with gusto, her movements quick and eager.
"This is... extraordinary!" She said as she moved her spoon and her knife at light speed. "The creatures of your seas are most delicious! May I have more?"
Nightwing raised an eyebrow, half-amused and half-exhausted.
"That can be arranged…" He said as he thought of a way to explain this to Aqualad.
Nightwing leaned back in his chair, watching as Starfire finished her meal—or what was left of it. Between the demolished pot plant, the condiment bottles, and the soup bowl still perched on her head, it looked more like a hurricane had swept through the room.
Starfire smiled gleefully "Thank you, Nightwing! This 'lunch' was most enjoyable. Your customs are strange, but I believe I shall adapt quickly!"
Nightwing chuckled, shaking his head with a small smile. "Yeah, well, let's work on the whole 'eating flowers and dirt' thing first. One step at a time."
Beast Boy and Bart were sitting in the common room of Mount Justice. The room is cozy, with mismatched chairs and a large screen playing a random nature documentary in the background. Bart is lounging upside-down on a couch, tossing a small ball into the air repeatedly, while Beast Boy sits cross-legged on the floor in his human form, munching on a bag of chips.
"So, what do you think?" Bart said with a small grin on his face "I say two months."
Beast Boy raised an eyebrow confused "Two months until…what?"
Bart smirked "Were you even listening to what any of us said last night? Our new guest, an alien girl. I was saying it would take like two months until Nightwing and the glowing alien girl…what's her name? Star-something? Starice…Star…whatever…she starts making googly eyes at each other. Did you see the way he caught her?"
"Dude I wasn't there" Beast Boy said indignantly
"Classic hero move." Bart continued as if he didn't hear Beast Boy "Guaranteed romance."
Beast Boy snorted "Two months? Please. I'm saying one month. Nightwing's got game, and if what you said was half true, she already owes him for not letting her face-plant in the middle of a forest."
Bart raised an eyebrow "One month? You're that confident?"
Beast Boy grinned holding out his hand "Yep. Wanna bet?"
Bart raises his hands in mock surrender, then pulls out a $100 bill from his pocket and proudly slaps it down on the table
"Alright, deal. Two months versus one. Loser pays up."
Beast Boy smirked "Deal. And when I win, I'm buying an entire pizza just for me." He leans back, crossing his arms as a mischievous smile creeps onto his face.
"Speaking of bets, I overheard you yesterday... Under the table. You know, when you were talking about wanting another magic user or a Lantern on the team?"
Bart sat up quickly looking as if he had been whinded, looking surprised "You were spying on us? Dude! Not cool!"
Beast Boy grinned "Not my fault you didn't see the cat under the table. Anyway, what's with you wanting to fill out the roster? You planning on pranking the next recruit into quitting or something?"
Bart relaxes, falling back into his upside-down lounging position as he flashed Beast Boy a grin "Pranking? Nah. Enhancing team morale, my dude. Think about it. Imagine if we had a Lantern!"
He said as he dramatically moved his arms as if doing some weird dance "Picture this! It's 3 AM, Cassie wakes up to see a giant green…blue…whatever colour thing staring at her! Imagine the look on her face and the noise she would make when she sees it! Or or, hear me out…what if they made a whole T-Rex construct and sent it stomping through the cafeteria during breakfast? Classic!"
Beast Boy shook his head "you clearly have no imagination. A lantern ring can make anything. ANYTHING!" Beast Boy said "Imagine if we get the team onto…"
He leans in to whisper into barts ear as if trying to ale sure that nobody would hear them, as Barts face lit up like a Christmas tree. "My man, I am so thankful that you are a good guy as I shudder to think of the schemes you would do if your evil"
Beast Boy leaned back on the sofa, clearly enjoying himself "And what about the magic user? What kind of pranks do you have with them?"
Bart made a goofy face as he pretending to think, tapping his chin "Oh, the possibilities are endless. Like, enchanting someone's stuff to do weird things. Imagine Artemis' arrows turning into squawking chickens when she shoots them. Or Nightwing's escrima sticks glowing bright purple whenever he tries to use them."
Beast Boy snorting trying to conseal his laughter "Or better yet, enchanting Conner's clothes so they randomly shrink a size every time he flexes. Dude wouldn't even notice until he is butt naked."
Bart roared with laughter "Yes! That's perfect. But it's not just pranks, man. A magic user would make missions way cooler. Like, imagine fighting some big bad, and instead of us doing the heavy lifting, they just—poof—turn the villain into a harmless bunny or something! Or or hear me out, whenever they are like monologuing the lantern traps them in a glowing cage as we look at their stupid face as we throw them into jail while we chill."
"Can't you do something like that?" Beast Boy said
"I don't exactly carry a map telling me where the nearest prison is bro!" Bart said indignantly "And where is the gun in that?"
Beast Boy shrugged "Fair enough."
"And let us not forget the free perks. With a Lantern, we could have a light show whenever we want. Birthday parties? Covered. Movie nights? Covered. Annoying Nightwing when he's trying to be broody? Definitely covered." Bart said "And I could do with some more flashy lights when I'm bored at 3am."
Beast Boy leans back, tossing a crisp into his mouth as he considers Bart's ideas.
Beast Boy smiled "You know, you're onto something. A Lantern or a magic user can spice things up around here. But if I just HAD to pick one I would settle with a magic user…But until then..." He wags a finger at Bart. "...you better keep brainstorming those pranks, because when I win that bet, I'm expecting a lot of entertainment for my pizza money."
Bart grinned as he shoved more crisps "Deal. But don't forget, Gar—you've gotta deliver your prank ideas too. Especially if this Star-whatever girl sticks around. Something tells me she's gonna be a lot of fun."
Port Sapph wasn't a very pleasant place. The town had a grand total of no more than 250 people, seemed to be cursed to have fog 24/7, had a single 3 star hotel that had no working heater, the only jobs that did anything for their economy was fishing and farming, they had only 3 big sites to speak of, one of which is a 3 star hiking trail, the other is a museum of the history of hotel hospitality and the other is a lighthouse that was the inspiration of some novel that almost every English student was forced to read and write a book report on at least once. The only redeeming thing about it were the people being mostly pleasant and the food there was a gift for the gods.
Tucked away in a forgotten part of town, the old church creaked in the stillness of night, its worn stone walls sheltering the forgotten sanctuary. Flickering candlelight from the altar cast long shadows over the shattered pews, a spider mega city was in the roof and the dust caked the floors and every surface. Raven sat in silence near the altar, her hood drawn low, her hands resting lightly on her knees. A faint, dark energy pulsed around her as she meditated, her soul-self swirling in the shadows like a living mist.
The silence was broken by a violent crash.
A swirling rift of blue and black energy ripped open in mid-air, sending shockwaves through the ancient structure.
John Constantine and a blue demon tumbled through the portal, grappling and snarling as they fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs and curses. The impact shattered a row of pews, sending debris flying.
"Bloody hell, this just ain't my day!" Constantine groaned
The demon unleashed an inhuman roar, towering over Constantine with glowing red eyes and claws that gleamed like jagged obsidian. It lunged at him, but Constantine scrambled backward, pulling a rune-etched charm from his coat. A burst of golden light erupted from his hand, forcing the demon to recoil.
Constantine smiled goofily "Not so tough now, are we, sunshine? Why don't you just hand over the box that I won fair and square and save us both the trouble?"
The demon growled, clutching the small black box made of some strange purple material in its clawed hand.
The object pulsed with an eerie light, its edges humming with dark energy. Constantine lunged for it, but the demon swatted him aside with a powerful blow, sending him crashing into an altar.
As Constantine groaned and pushed himself up, the demon froze mid-attack. Its glowing eyes locked onto Raven, who had risen silently from her meditative position. Her hood fell back, revealing her pale face and glowing violet eyes. The shadows around her pulsed, responding to her growing awareness of the intruders. She wasn't mad or angry but the look in her face fired nuclear bombs.
The demon's expression twisted, not with anger, but with pure terror.
"You… you're…"
It dropped the box onto the floor with a loud thud and stumbled backward, its massive form trembling as if it was about to turn to jelly.
Without another word, it turned and slashed at the air, opening a swirling portal of dark energy. Its roar echoed through the church as it bolted through the rift, screaming incoherently before vanishing into the void. The portal snapped shut, leaving the box and Constantine behind.
Constantine stood up still trying to process what was going on as he tried to dust himself off "What the bloody hell was that about? Big bad demon sees a teenager and runs off like a cat caught in the rain."
He straightened his trench coat, muttering curses under his breath. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Raven, who was now standing silently near the altar, her glowing eyes fixed on the box.
"And just who might you be, love?"
Raven didn't answer, her expression unreadable. The air around her seemed to hum with an ominous energy, the shadows in the room growing darker and colder. Constantine glanced at the box on the floor, then back at Raven, his brow furrowing as realization began to dawn.
"Oh, bollocks. You're one of them, aren't you?"
Raven's eyes flared briefly, but her tone was calm, almost emotionless.
"You brought trouble here. Why?"
Constantine made a grim face as he gestured at the box "Not exactly by choice mate, believe me. That thing…" He pointed at the black box, which seemed to pulse faintly with an otherworldly rhythm. "I was trying to keep it out of the wrong hands. Won it fair and square and they had a problem. Didn't expect to crash into... whatever this is."
Raven stepped closer, her gaze shifting to the box. Her fingers twitched, but she didn't reach for it. She knew what was in there. And her face showed her utter contempt.
"It's not safe. You shouldn't have brought it here."
"Yeah, well, I didn't exactly have time to call ahead. Mind telling me why the big scary bloke ran off the moment he saw you? You've got that 'dark secret' look about you."
Raven's expression darkened, but she didn't respond. Instead, she extended her hand toward the box, her soul-self swirling faintly as if drawn to it. Constantine stepped forward quickly, blocking her path.
"Uh-uh. Not so fast. Whatever's in there, it's bad news. You touch it, and we could both end up on the wrong side of reality."
Raven hesitated, lowering her hand. She met Constantine's gaze, her voice calm but edged with warning.
"Then you should leave. The longer you stay, the more dangerous it might become."
Constantine sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced between Raven and the box. His instincts told him to walk away, but his curiosity, and the nagging sense of responsibility, kept him rooted in place.
"Yeah, no. I've got a bad feeling about this, and when I've got a bad feeling, it usually means someone's about to make a worse decision."
He grabbed the box, shoving it into his coat before turning back to Raven."Alright, kid. You've got some explaining to do. Starting with why every demon in the multiverse seems to be scared stiff of you."
Raven's eyes glowed faintly, her voice low and cryptic.
"Some answers are better left unknown."
Constantine looked at Raven then he let out a long groan as he pulled out a cigarette box and rubbed his eyes "Oh bollocks…Your his daughter aren't you."
Raven looked up at him as if he said the last thing she expected him to say.
"How…"
"I am well acquainted with him…and his sister…helps me light up every now and then." He said as he lit it up "and let's just say you are in a lot of trouble…" Constantine mumbled as he sucked on his cigarette
"Tell me about it" Raven said, eying the cigarette with disgust "You know that gives you cancer right?"
"And curing stage 1 cancer is like elementary level magic in most cases. Secondary in others." Constantine said as if the statement had mildly offended him "Stage 2 and 3 you need more intense hadcore stuff that can go wrong a million ways, and stage 4...well you better pray to whatever you believe in as there is no cure for that unless if some kind of contract with whoever demon is in it." Constantine coughed as he looked around him unimpressed with what he sees "Not quite a place one would find you know what's daughter in. Let me guess, is Azarath no longer safe or something?"
Raven shifted uncomfortably "I move around from place to place. Keeping a low profile…Stealing food and other supplies if I have to…" Raven said softly
"And yet you and I both know that it won't take long till you know what happens." Constantine said grimly
Raven said nothing, no words would come.
Constantine sighed "What have I even walked myself into." He groaned as he pulled out a book as he began to read. "I can't even trust myself to watch paint dry."
The quiet hum of machinery filled the medical wing at Mount Justice as Nightwing sat across from Starfire, a small whiteboard in his lap and a marker in his hand. Starfire was seated on the edge of the bed, her bright eyes watching him with curiosity and enthusiasm, though her posture still carried a hint of the exhaustion she was recovering from. She was holding a large photo showing all of the young justice members with their names labelled under.
Nightwing had decided it was time to help her with some basic Earth communication. Her Tamaranean accent, though charming, could only get her so far.
Nightwing made a small smile "Alright, Starfire. Let's start with something simple. On Earth, when we greet someone, we say their name. Like, 'Hello, Dick,' or 'Hello, Conner.' You got that?"
Starfire nodded eagerly, her crimson hair shimmering as she leaned forward, her expression serious and focused.
Starfire "Yes! I am of understanding of this 'hello' and I am of getting of the speaking of the name!"
Nightwing gave an encouraging smile as he patted Starfire on the shoulder "Perfect. And if you're feeling friendly, you can call someone your friend. Like, 'Hello, friend Conner.' You only use 'friend' when you really mean it, though. It's not for everyone."
Starfire smiled brightly "Ah! It is clear! I am to always say 'friend' before speaking their name. Thank you, friend Nightwing!"
Nightwing paused mid-explanation, blinking at her rapidly with a mix of amusement and concern as he chuckled nervously "Uh, not exactly. You don't have to call everyone your friend. Just people you really feel close to."
Starfire nodded with confidence "Yes! I shall do this with all of my friends!"
Before Nightwing could clarify further, Starfire stood up on the bed, her energy returning in a burst of excitement.
The door to the medical wing opened as Miss Martian walked in, carrying a tray of food. She smiled warmly at Starfire. "Good to see you up and about, Starfire. How are you feeling?"
Starfire beamed and clasped her hands together dramatically. "Hello, friend Miss Martian! I am of the feelings of such much betterment!"
Miss Martian blinked, her smile faltering slightly as she glanced at Nightwing, who groaned softly and rubbed his temples.
Nightwing muttered under his breath "Not quite what I meant..."
Miss Martian laughed softly "Well, that's... sweet. Thank you, Starfire."
Before Miss Martian could say more, Bart zipped into the room, his usual high-energy self. "Hey, everyone! What's going on?"
Starfire spun toward him with excitement, holding her arms out as though welcoming him into the fold.
"Hello, friend Bart! We are attending the greetings of each other!"
Bart froze, his grin widening as he looked at Nightwing. "Friend Bart? I like it! She's got good taste."
Nightwing sighed "Okay, let's... maybe slow down a bit."
But before he could finish his sentence Aqualad walked in, a small tray of drinks in his hands. Before he could speak, Starfire rushed up to him, her enthusiasm undiminished.
"Hello, friend Aqualad! It is a joy to see your most watery self again!"
Aqualad raised an eyebrow, glancing at Nightwing, who had his head buried in his hands.
"Is this... a Tamaranean custom?"
Nightwing groaned through his hands "No, it's not. It's a misunderstanding. Starfire, you don't have to call everyone 'friend.' It's only for—"
Before he could finish, Superboy walked past the door his face confused, and Starfire called out to him cheerfully."Hello, friend Superboy! Your scowl of intensity is very impressive today!"
Superboy stopped mid-step, giving her a bewildered look before glancing at Nightwing."Errr…What did I do?"
"Nothing." Nightwing mumbled "She is... practicing."
Nightwing finally stood and stepped in front of Starfire, holding up his hands to stop her before she could greet anyone else.
"Okay, Starfire, let's try this again. You don't need to call everyone your friend. Just say their name. Like, 'Hello, Bart,' or 'Hello, Miss Martian.' Got it?"
Starfire tilted her head, her expression thoughtful.
"But why would I not call them my friends? Are you all not of the working together and the trusting of each other? I see you as nice to me and so you are of friend to me."
Nightwing hesitated, realizing he couldn't argue with that logic. He sighed, his lips twitching into a small smile.
"Alright, you've got a point. But maybe... ease up a little? Not everyone's ready for that level of enthusiasm."
Starfire nodded confidently "I am of understand, friend Nightwing! I shall be the easing of my enthusiastic greetings!"
Nightwing groaned again, though the corner of his mouth twitched with amusement. Bart leaned against the wall, laughing. "Hey, I think it's great. Keep it up, Starfire. Friend Bart approves."