A Tameranean's Raven

Crisis At Home (Part 2: Finale)

Walking beneath red stony ground, Galfore led Starfire and the others into a wide chamber full of bustling Tameraneans following the orders of a familiar princess. Armor was being sorted into specific sizes along with weapons and shields.
One by one everyone stopped what they were doing to regard the new party. Galfore couldn't help but smile despite his mangled face. He gave a loud laugh before pounding his chest in a warrior's welcome that the others returned.
"Sister!" Starfire exclaimed excitedly, rushing to tackle her sister in a hug. Blackfire tensed at first before returning the gesture. "You are not hurt are you?"
"Me? No, those Kroloteans don't stand a chance against me," Blackfire scoffed, a tiny smile playing at her lips as Starfire let out a small laugh. It was still strange to see the sisters actively getting along but it was nice. It was how things ought to be. Then Blackfire's gaze found Raven and her features hardened. "What is she doing here?"
"I'm here to help, obviously," Raven replied, looking bored as always. Blackfire's gaze settled back on her sister before returning to the sorceress.
"Am I missing something?" Galfore whispered, looking to Dick for help.
"It's a very long story. Remind me and I'll tell you later," Dick promised.
"What do you need me to do?" Starfire asked, looking around excitedly as fellow rebels gave small acknowledgements to their proper Grand Ruler.
"We need to fit your weak bodied friends with armor first and foremost or they'll be shot to pieces," Blackfire noted, assessing the others with an intense gaze.
"I won't be able to shift in armor so I'll pass," Gar noted.
"Fine by me. You can stay in that latex suit if you want," Blackfire shrugged.
"Yes!" Gar cheered, pumping his fists in the air.
"Whatever, let's get everyone fitted. The others are suiting up. We'll be taking the field momentarily. The Krolotean ships are getting antsy," Blackfire frowned.
"They've been running drills all day," a fellow rebel reported.
"Then it's time we make our stand," Galfore nodded. "I am blessed to be fighting with you all. That prison was a dreary place."
"We're glad to have you back," Blackfire smiled faintly as Galfore'x massive hand patted her gently on the top of the head. Waving for the others to follow, Galfore led everyone down a hallway towards the armory. Raven moved to follow when a hand tightened around her arm. She turned to meet Blackfire's heated gaze with one of her own.
"Don't touch me," Raven frowned, her eyes settling on where Blackfire's hand gripped her arm. She hated being man handled let alone by someone like Blackfire.
"Be careful. I'm watching you," Blackfire warned.
Rolling her eyes, Raven pulled free of the Tameranean's grip and floated down the hall to join the others.
Now, Raven wasn't much of a fan when it came to armor. She'd worn it only once previously and despised it. It was heavy and smothered her powers. The steel was suffocating but the armor presented to her by Starfire was light and airy. It seemed to call out to her powers instead of stifling them.
"It is nice is it not?" Starfire asked, adjusting the dark metal that protected Raven's previously exposed legs.
"It's not bad," Raven nodded, letting her partner adjust different pieces of the armor. When all was said and done, Raven wore dark metal over her shoulders, forearms, thighs, shins, and chest. It hardly seemed to weigh anything.
"You should consider wearing armor more often. You look fierce," Starfire smiled, kissing Raven's cheek.
"Oh, thanks," Raven blushed, her hand moving to her cheek.
"Ew," Blackfire sighed, walking past and throwing a shield quite aggressively at Dick.
"Ow!" He exclaimed, as the metal cracked against his back. "Come on, I don't need that."
"When lasers start flying across the battlefield I think you'll find it useful," Blackfire countered.
"What's her problem?" Raven asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"My sister is not a very affectionate person. Intimacy makes her uncomfortable in most cases. We are working on it," Starfire promised, sparing both Raven and Dick sympathetic looks.
"Hold up, let me borrow that," Cyborg smiled, snatching up the shield. His red eye glowed brightly for a moment and with a grunt, Cyborg held out his arm as if wearing a shield. Metal plates began to shift and move until he had a shield of his own that retracted smoothly into his arm. "Man, I love upgrades."
"You never cease to impress me," Gar laughed, his eyes wide with excitement. He was more excited than anyone when Cyborg showed off a new trick. Then again, Gar was easily amused.
"What's our actual plan? Given the airforce the Kroloteans have, I don't see how we can take them," Dick sighed, holding his arms out as Starfire made sure his armor was attached correctly.
"I was thinking the witch could help with that," Blackfire noted.
"I'm not a witch," Raven frowned.
"Whatever. The point is, you have magical powers. Are you strong enough to make a barrier between us and them?" Blackfire continued.
"I could do it, but it would take all of my concentration. Any distraction and the parameters of my powers will fade," Raven explained. "We're talking about me protecting an entire planet. That isn't easy."
"If you can make it work, we'll look after you," Dick assured.
"While I love the idea, how do you plan on taking out an entire fleet of ships?" Cyborg asked.
"That's where we come in. We can fly you know," Blackfire smirked. "There's no shortage on starbolts around here. Right Galfore?"
"She has a point. We can divide our forces into land and aerial combatants. We might do enough damage to their fleet to keep them from performing a full invasion," Galfore nodded, placing a helmet on his head.
"Then it's settled," Dick decided, "Raven, we're with you. Star, be careful okay? And kick some ass would you?"
"Of course. I am great at the ass kicking!" Starfire smiled, laughing as Blackfire rolled her eyes.
"Alright little sis. Last one to the field is a rotten Zornian Muck Beetle."
All at once the two sisters shot off down the tunnel in a burst of green and black.
"I don't think I even want to know what that is," Gar frowned, shivering in disgust. "Muck and beetle should never go together."
— — —
"Is this good enough?" Dick asked, standing at the the very outskirts of the city. In the distance the Tamaranean army was beginning to take shape. Up ahead, small aircraft slowly took form prepared to attack the moment the Tamaraneans let a stray starbolt fly.
"Works for me," Raven nodded, plopping down on the ground and crossing her legs. Closing her eyes she let out a few short breathes as she tried to steady her mind. She pictured Tamaran as a whole. Saw the wide reaching plains of the planet and all it had to offer in its newly flourishing vegetation. There was a peace in the wilderness that she found comfort in.
Dick watched wearily as his friend began to hover in the air, lips moving quickly and quietly as the usual incantation of 'azarath metrion zinthos' was repeated over and over again. He watched in surprise as a dark shell crept over the sky slowly encasing the planet. There was a look of severe concentration on Raven's face. He could only imagine how much effort it took to do something like this.
"Alright guys. No one touches Raven. Understood?" Dick asked.
"Don't have to tell me twice. No one touches our girl," Gar nodded, shifting into a tiger ready to strike.
Pulling out his T-Comm, Dick pinged Starfire. "Tell Galfore we're ready. Nothing gets in."
With that, he tucked the device away into his belt and drew two metal batons that crackled with electricity at the ends. An anxious filled silence surrounded them until the Tamaranean army split in two. Dozens of them took to the sky launching starbolts in a myriad of colors at unprotected ships.
On the horizon, an army of Krolotean foot soldiers was taking shape and preparing to attack. For now, there was no reason to worry about aerial support even as the ships fired off canons and lasers. Raven's shield held strong. Small fighter ships were blasted to pieces and the debris bounced harmlessly off the shield, but the surprise factor of Raven's abilities was slowly wearing off.
One by one, Krolotean gunner ships began to fire off at the barrier in heated barrages. Large lasers bore down on the magical black shell with intense energy. Nervous, Dick studied Raven but aside from a furrowed brow and a bit of sweat she seemed unbothered by the attacks.
"Look ahead," Cyborg warned, his expression hardening as both the Tameranean force and Krolotean force met with sounds of metal clashing.
Overhead, Gar spotted Starfire trailing her sister as they shot through the barrier with deadly precision. Together the two sisters were a deadly force. He couldn't help but smile, but his smile faded at the sight of large metallic vehicles crawling across the horizon. He was surprised enough that he accidentally shifted back into his human form. "What in the hell are those?"
"Hold on." Frowning, Cyborg scanned the vehicles from afar. "Looks like a bunch of heavy gunners. They're reinforced for battering. Perfect for pulverizing a city and anyone underfoot. The metal is thick but it looks like it can be overheated."
"What about those?" Gar squeaked, gesturing to large low floating air craft.
"Those would be anti aircraft canons," Dick muttered. As soon as the words left his mouth, the large metallic cylinders launched a series of high voltage lasers into the sky tagging a series of Tameranean warriors.
"And that?" Gar whispered, his eyes wide as he regarded a massive ship that emerged from the darkness above as if shadow itself had cloaked it. Underneath was a large looking circle decorated by metal coils charging with some sort of blue energy.
"That? That's bad," Cyborg grumbled. The trio of boys watched in anxious silence as the large canon charged. Within it the large ball of blue energy grew until it was easily the size of a small star. Within minutes, the energy ball threatened to swallow friendly ships until at last it fired off.
The fiery beam of blue turned white as it slammed into the protective barrier. Dick expected it to shatter on impact but it held fast for now. Only the longer the beam pressed against the shield, the thinner it seemed to get.
Eyes snapping open, Raven planted her feet firmly on the ground fully aware of the power she had to ward off. Arms outstretched she continued to mutter to herself. She could feel the weapon's unbearable energy. The way it bore down with thousands of pounds of searing weight and heat. It made her skin burn and her bones ache as if she herself were enduring the force.
Eyes shifting from the enemy to Raven, Dick noticed the way Raven's veins began to turn a shade of black as if her powers were eating her up from the inside out.
"Raven-"
"Shut up." Raven quipped, a singular crack radiating down the protective shield. Frowning, she attempted to piece it back together when another one appeared.
"Raven, you've done enough. Let it go," Dick worried as darkness pooled in her eyes clouding her faint purple irises.
"I can do this," Raven insisted, but her stomach was beginning to ache, and her lungs were beginning to burn. Biting back a cry of pain, Raven's features hardened and her brow furrowed. It was better to explode than implode.
With a shaky breathe, she set her feet once more and with an outward push of the arms, shattered the shield. As pieces shot outwards they swallowed and consumed countless ships sending them plummeting to the ground.
As the pressure released, Raven fell back, her vision swimming. For a moment she couldn't see. A brief panic set in until Dick's voice cut through.
"Gar, get her out of here. She's done enough. She needs to recover."
"I can still help," Raven insisted, her vision slowly clearing.
"Not a chance Rae," Gar shook his head, "look at yourself."
With a frown, Raven regarded her hands. Her veins were a deep black and in certain places her skin had begun to blister. As much as she wanted to argue, Dick was right. She wasn't in a place to be helpful. With a reluctant sigh, Raven let Gar scoop her up and sling her onto his back as he shifted into a horse. Racing off back towards the city, Gar traversed the deserted streets until he found a suitable place for them to hide.
Once out of sight and away from danger, Raven felt the true effects of using her powers on such a grand scale. A deep tiredness set into her bones and as she slipped off of Gar her legs gave out.
"Easy, I've got you." Gar carefully moved her into the corner of an abandoned building and helped draw Raven's cloak about her. She hadn't noticed it yet but she was shivering violently. "Get some rest. I won't let anyone hurt you okay?"
"The others-"
"They'll be fine," Gar promised, but there was a bit of doubt in his voice. "We can go back and help when you recover a little, okay? Right now we just lay low and hope for the best."
— — —
Robin planted one of his batons into the neck of a Krolotean sending a wave of electricity through the alien's body. Beside him, Cyborg fired off lasers attempting to hit weak points in the Krolotean machinery. With each passing minute, the Tameranean army was retreating further towards the city line. They were drastically outnumbered and out gunned.
The anti aircraft canon before them erupted into splinters of metal as Starfire blasted clean through it, shooting out the other side with a spin. Blowing a strand of hair from her face, she picked up the broken machine and launched it into the air exploding two passing ships.
"Where is Gar and Raven?" Starfire worried, catching a Krolotean by the back of the neck and hurling it across the battlefield to be run over by a vehicle.
"Gar's looking after her. It took a lot out of her to keep that barrier up as long as she did," Dick explained, planting a kick firmly into an enemy's chest.
"Have everyone fall back to the city's edge," Galfore roared, knocking two Kroloteans' heads together and tossing them aside.
"We cannot retreat," Starfire worried, but she knew how frail their forces were.
"We don't have a choice little one," Galfore sighed, taking a large axe and cleaving through the side of a gunner ship as it flew low.
"We'll spread the message," Cyborg promised, turning on his heel and racing off towards the nearest group of Tamaranean soldiers.
"I will cover the retreat," Starfire decided. With a firm nod, she took to the skies again, joining her sister. Together they dismantled as many of the smaller ships as possible denting the space fleet significantly.
"Star!" Blackfire yelled, throwing a ship in her direction. "Duck."
Doing as told, Starfire dove towards the ground as an explosion radiated behind her. Her eyes settled on a series of Krolotean beast riders. Their foreign creatures threatened to snap up injured and struggling Tamaraneans. Eyes narrowing, Starfire raced to their aid, her eyes igniting the enemy with green rays of energy. Slicing the riders and beasts in half, she picked up the nearest ally and flew him back to safety.
Thankfully, Cyborg and Robin got the message to everyone. The remainder of Tamaran's forces had regrouped at the border.
All around injured Tamaraneans crawled back into the city in search of aid. It was painful to see her own people so fragile and broken. They didn't deserve to be bullied the way they were. Setting her jaw, Starfire turned to stare down the enemy.
"Galfore."
"Yes?" The mighty Tamaranean asked, his attention settling on Starfire.
"Get everyone back inside the city," Starfire ordered. "There is only one way to win this."
"What do you mean?" Galfore asked.
"That large ship must be the command center. If I destroy it everything falls apart. Their technology must draw energy from somewhere. It has to be where they fired that large energy beam. It is a radiator of some sort is it not?" Starfire looked at Cyborg expectantly. He gave a firm nod of confirmation. "Good. Then I will ruin it."
"You can't be serious Star. You're not going alone," Dick worried.
"She won't be alone," Blackfire determined, landing beside her sister. She placed a gentle hand upon Starfire's shoulder.
"If I am to die it will be protecting my home. Too many Tamaraneans have perished to war. I won't have another body on this battlefield as long as I am standing," Starfire frowned, her jaw set in determination.
"I can't let you do that-"
"It is an order, Galfore. You do not get to choose for me." Starfire's words struck a cord within the humble warrior. He opened his mouth to speak before falling silent momentarily.
"I lost your parents and the heir, little one. Don't let me lose you too. Either of you. You're all I got left." With a sadness deeper than anyone could know, Galfore embraced both princesses in a bone crushing hug. "Come back to me."
"Dick?" Starfire asked, turning to her friend. "No one intervenes, okay?"
"You have my word," Dick nodded, but he too was conflicted.
Sparing both Cyborg and Dick a smile, Starfire faced the battlefield along with her sister.
"We've got this," Blackfire sighed, rolling her shoulders.
"Time to get angry," Starfire mused.
"Oh little sister, I am always angry."
— — —
"Feeling any better?" Gar asked, gently waking a sleeping Raven. The commotion outside seemed to have stopped and curiosity was getting the best of him.
"Yeah, yeah I am," Raven nodded.
"Good," Gar smiled, taking a moment to check Raven over. "You're not all black veined anymore which is good. Seems like resting did you well. Come on. It sounds like the fighting has stopped."
Offering Raven a hand, Gar pulled the half demon to her feet. Together they ventured out into the deserted street expecting a celebration of sorts. There was nothing. Frowning, Raven glanced to the sky in search of fleeing spaceships but there weren't any.
"This doesn't feel right," Raven muttered, walking quickly towards the edge of the city. Gar followed close behind, his face scrunched up in confusion. As they rounded a corner they were faced with a stationary Tameranean army and two glowing figures in the distance.
Bright green exploded like a burst of fire consuming a body bathed in gasoline. Gar's jaw dropped. The light was so bright Raven was forced to squint. She could hear an enraged voice carrying across the expanse of the battlefield.
"This is my home! Not yours!"
"Did you know she could do that?" Gar gasped, looking at Raven in surprise.
"No, no I didn't." Raven watched as both Blackfire and Starfire launched themselves at the approaching enemy destroying anything in sight. They were nothing but raw solar energy melting everything in the way. "We should help them."
"Agreed." Together, both Raven and Gar raced towards the stationary army. Once there, they pushed through the crowd in search of Dick and Cyborg. They found their friends at the front watching intently as Starfire obliterated anything in her path.
"What is she doing?" Raven asked, drawing level with Cyborg. Her gaze tracked Starfire intently as she arched upwards slamming through a series of ships that went careening into the ground.
"She's aiming for the largest ship. She plans to take out the reactor," Cyborg explained.
"And we aren't helping?" Gar frowned.
"She asked us to stay out of it. This is her fight. We honor that," Dick informed, but his hands shifted nervously at his sides.
"Are we sure she can survive that type of energy?" Raven worried.
"I have no idea," Galfore sighed, a pained expression contorting his features. Nodding, Raven focused back on the fight. Everything that was in Starfire's way was being cleared out by Blackfire as she raced towards the massive looking ship. It's blue circular beam was slowly recharging. If the ship wasn't taken out soon, a hole would be blasted clean through Tamaran.
Nothing more than a brilliant green beam of light, Starfire neared the edge of the atmosphere as Blackfire fell in behind her. Together they reached a speed fast enough to break the sound barrier. Just as Starfire was about to hit the ship something went wrong. Something only Raven understood in the millisecond it took for her to shout, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
Starfire's green form hurtled back towards the ground at an uncontrolled speed. A crater blossomed on the face of Tamaran. Smoke billowed up from the place of impact as the blue beam overhead fluttered. At first it seemed to shoot outwards before changing course as if swallowing itself whole. The energy contorted until it began to implode, peeling off metallic bits of the ship.
All at once an explosion shook the world around them as bright light threatened to blind anyone looking at the sky. The others moved to shield their faces but Raven kept her hands outstretched, her palms glowing black as she absorbed as much of the energy as possible. Within seconds the world went dark again and all that remained of the ship were tiny bits of floating debris.
Krolotean spaceships sputtered back into orbit in search of a place to dock and refuel but everything within the blast radius was now gone. They had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Seeing that the tables had turned, the Tamaranean army let loose a battle cry before charging towards those left stranded on the planet. They had clean up to do.
While the rest of the world refocused, Raven watched as a small speck slowly fell from the sky back to the ground. In a second she phased away from her friends to intercept the falling body. Taking the impact, she collided with the ground while absorbing most of the damage for Blackfire. The eldest Tamaranean princess was unconscious and badly burned.
"Blackfire?" Starfire's pained and frantic voice carried above the sounds of fading war as she stumbled to where Raven held her sister. "Oh no. Oh no no no."
"She's alive. She's just hurt," Raven assured.
"She was not supposed-why?" Starfire pleaded, carefully taking off her sister's partially melted helmet.
"It's what sisters do Star." Raven spared the crying girl a tiny smile but she knew the pain Starfire was in. It was never easy seeing someone you loved in such horrible condition.
"My word," Galfore breathed, having raced out to see what happened. "Quick. We must bring her home to the medics. She's lucky she isn't dead."
Collecting the wounded princess, Galfore raced back towards the city not stopping until he successfully crossed the border.
"I tried to absorb most of the damage but...clearly it didn't work," Raven sighed, getting to her feet and moving to support most of Starfire's weight. Grief and tiredness were beginning to weigh on the princess.
"You protected her?" Starfire asked, her tone soft and fragile.
"I knew the moment you fell what she was doing. I may not like her but I don't want her dead. She's your sister," Raven reasoned. "Come on. Let's get you home. You need medical attention too."
— — —
Starfire was stubborn when it came to being treated. All she wanted was to be by her sister's side, but that wasn't an option at the time. Not with doctors keeping a close eye on her. It wasn't until darkness settled upon the planet and the rest of the Kroloteans were disposed of, that Starfire was left unsupervised. For the most part.
Slipping out of the cot she'd been placed in, she attempted to move silently towards the special room her sister was being kept in when someone caught her hand. At first, Starfire wanted to retaliate. Then she realized who it was.
"Do you want to go alone?" Raven whispered, eyeing the sleeping forms of the boys. They'd done their best to keep Starfire in relatively good spirits, but they too were tired from everything that'd happened.
"I...I think it would be nice to have company," Starfire decided. Nodding, Raven stood and walked with Starfire towards the room. They slipped inside unnoticed to find Blackfire wrapped up in a plethora of bandages. Even in sleep she moaned softly in pain. Starfire's expression fell into one of deep sadness. "Oh, Raven."
"I know. I can help a little," Raven assured.
"You can?" Starfire asked hopefully. "But how?"
"Pain is a sensation as much as it is a feeling. I can take the feeling upon myself and spare her from experiencing it." Closing her eyes, Raven reached out towards Blackfire's subconscious. It wasn't hard to find and it wasn't hard to locate the pain. With a frown, Raven tugged at the red aural feelings and connected them to her own. She flinched at first, not expecting the severity of the sensation, but with a few shallow breathes she managed to calm herself.
"If it is too much Raven-"
"It's fine Star. I've managed worse," Raven promised. Nodding, Starfire sat on the edge of her sister's bed. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it was clear that whatever Raven was doing had worked. After a handful of hours, Raven opened her eyes. "That's all I can do for now. It's nearly morning. You should head back to bed before the healers notice your absence."
"Right," Starfire nodded, reluctantly abandoning her sister. For now it seemed that Blackfire was in a deep enough sleep not to notice the pain.
Venturing back to Starfire's cot, Raven let herself be tugged down into the bed beside the princess. It wasn't until she was laying down that she realized how tired she was. Seeming to notice this, Starfire was quick to tuck the half demon into bed and pull her close.
"Raven?"
"Mmm?" Raven muttered, nearly asleep already.
"Thank you for protecting my home and my sister." Starfire's words were so tender and gentle that Raven couldn't help but meet her partner's gaze. Starfire's green eyes shone brightly with something akin to raw affection and love.
"I'd do anything for you. You know that," Raven promised, mustering up enough energy to bestow a fierce kiss upon the princess. Smiling, Starfire nuzzled her cheek against the top of Raven's head very much like a pleased cat. Humming softly, Raven closed her eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.
When light began to make its way into the medical wing, the boys began to stir and Galfore made his way inside keen to check on his two little warriors. He was surprised to find one of them so intimately entangled with another woman.
"Is this the long story you were going to tell me?" Galfore asked, nudging Dick who was just barely awake.
"Something like that," he chuckled, rubbing at his eyes.
"I will admit, I did not see this coming," Galfore sighed.
"Neither did we," Cyborg mused. "But they take care of each other."
"So much for the royal family line," Galfore bellowed, dissolving into a hearty chuckle.
"Galfore?" Starfire muttered, sitting up in bed, her hair a mess. "Must you be so loud?"
"Oh, right, my apologies," Galfore blushed, scratching at the back of his head. "It's good to have you home, Koriand'r."
"It is good to be home," Starfire smiled. "I only hope my sister can recover."
"She will. She is strong and as stubborn as they come. The lot of you may stay for as long as you'd like. You are our guests. Now, if you will excuse me I must check on my other little girl." With a bow, Galfore left the titans alone and made his way into the room where Blackfire was being kept.
Things were far from perfect, but Starfire relaxed ever so slightly. Her home would be okay for now, but her worries weren't entirely gone. There were people to mourn and she prayed her sister wouldn't become one of them.
Still, she had duties to perform. Given everything that had happened it was only right for her to help repair things. That's what a proper royal did when a crisis occurred. Even if it meant she spent time away from earth.
"I know what you're thinking," Dick smiled thinly. "It's okay. This is your home. Take care of it."
"Will you not need me?" Starfire worried.
"Your people need you more," Cyborg reminded.
"And your family," Gar noted, looking pointedly at Blackfire's room. "The rest of the world can wait for now."
"Thank you all. You have been impossibly kind to me and my people." Starfire couldn't help but feel the prick of tears in her eyes.
"You're family Star, it's what family does. Just, take care of yourself okay?" Dick asked, standing and offering her a small hug.
"I will. But before you go, may I show you all my home properly this time? It seems you only see my planet under dire circumstances," Starfire frowned.
"Sure, if you can wake her up," Gar snickered, poking Raven in between the ribs.
"Don't touch me," Raven rasped, eyes slowly peeling open to glare at Gar.
"There's the Raven I know and love!" Gar grinned, earning an eye roll in return. "Alright. Who's ready for a tour of Tamaran?"