Fan Fiction ❯ The Sparrow's Burden ❯ Priorities ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Fulawkam 
When Mandibore is destroyed, so are friendships.
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.07.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 205 | Status: Completed
When Mandibore is destroyed, so are friendships.
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.07.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 205 | Status: Completed
The Sparrow’s Burden
7
The sounds of bells filled her ears as Starfire’s ligaments began to tear. Her
muscle tissue was beginning to break through the skin as Mandibore forced her limbs past
their flexibility limits. She wished to scream, but a tentacle was encompassing her mouth
and forcing her head back. Starfire’s attempt to struggle against the foul creature only
caused it’s grip to tighten.
As her vision fell to darkness, a new figure appeared in Starfire’s peripheral
vision, one which she thought had fallen in battle. A fluctuating blue cloak rose from the
alley, orbited by many large objects Starfire could not make out.
Mandibore took heed as well, and turned to face the recovered challenger. With
his attention upon another, Starfire’s restrains were relinquished just enough so she could
move her head. Raven was floating before the creature, protected by swift moving
articles that created a defensive parameter. Among these were a large trash disposal, an
iron pallet, and two motorised bicycles. There was no indication of Raven’s previous fear
in her disposition. There was only rage and determination, almost as though her victory
was assured.
Rising even higher above the gap, Raven howled; “Put the girl down!”
Mandibore seemed to understand the order, his comprehension verified by his
defiance to comply. Starfire felt the arms tighten again, her hands and feet becoming dark
shades of purple.
Raven would accept no more of the creature’s contempt. With a raising of her
hand, the trash disposal crashed into his body with tremendous force. The tentacles
involuntarily recoiled, and the newly freed Starfire fell into Raven’s telekinetic grasp.
Requiring little attention from her liberator, Starfire was gently placed upon the rooftop.
Safe but unable to stand upon her own power, she struggled to watch as Raven advanced
past her.
Raven floated as an irrevocable pillar, not turning her sight to anything but her
chosen target. Mandibore had been crushed between the large projectile and a firm brick
wall, but he was not vanquished. Both the stone and the steel had given way to him, and
he seemed uninjured as he tossed aside the mangled iron box.
None of the fright and shock that was felt by Starfire could be detected on Raven
as she ruthlessly hurled the other missiles at the beast. The strength of the impact
obliterated all of them to shards, and not even the mighty lizard could go unscathed from
such bombardment.
Smoke covered the rooftop. Burning debris and twisted metal fell from the air as
the battle subsided. Through the billowing ash, Starfire could not see any sign of the
creature, but she did not see Raven waver from her position or even look away from
where it had been. Her manner was one of inevitability. She knew something Starfire
did not, and she waited. Starfire was better learned than to question Raven’s instincts, so
until Raven spoke to her, she would not rise.
Mandibore sprang from the mist, this time every surviving arm wrapping around
the Sorceresses body. Her adrenaline fuelling her recovery, Starfire pushed herself
towards the renewed melee. Although she seemed helpless at the many hands of her
attacker, Raven did not appear to be alarmed, she did not even appear to be struggling.
She almost appeared expecting.
“Azrah...” The first of Raven’s mystical words filled the sky and boomed like
thunder in Starfire’s ears. It was followed by violent tremors that shook so hard they
halted Starfire’s dash and forced her to the ground. Mandibore did not seem to take
notice, continuing to attempt to squeeze the combat ability out of Raven.
“Metrion...” The next word caused the sky to darken. Through to the horizon,
sunlight seemed to disappear into shadow, and Starfire feared she may have suffered an
cranial injury that had affected her sight. This was not the case, as she witnessed in awe
what occurred upon Raven’s finalization.
“Zinthos!” The word cracked the air and echoed through the sky. Raven
vanished from the monster’s grasp in a shapeless vail of black. The shadow that took her
appeared behind the stupefied creature and struck with such lightning force the gravel
upon the roof was tossed into the air. Once again, the darkness vanished and revealed
itself on the opposite side of the last attack, driving into Mandibore again. It vanished
once more and struck once more, and again it happened. Countless more followed. After
every attack, the shadow seemed to increase in speed and frequency, and the attacks
became little more than a blur. All Starfire could make out for certain was the
convolutions of the helpless lizard, now utterly outmatched.
The final blow flew upwards from beneath Mandibore’s feet. The shadow
enveloped him, and for a moment, the two seemed to exist as one entity. Trapped in the
confines of a dark halo, the lizard twisted and jerked with great, but restrained force. As
malignant as the seizure was, he did not waver from his stance. He looked to be resisting,
however not knowing how to fight such an enemy.
The creature’s tentacles flailed ferociously in a last act of hopeless panic, and
Mandibore’s body broke apart. Starfire could not be certain if she actually observed what
she thought she observed. The creature’s body was tossed in many directions, and the
small fragments simply disintegrated. There was nothing left, as though the Teen Titans
had almost met their demise at the hands of a horrible dream. All that remained was the
destruction Mandibore had left in his wake, and Starfire’s recovering muscles would tell a
tale of a monster that was once very real.
The bringer of Mandibore’s demise now stood where he once did. Hidden in the
shadow of her garment, standing as tranquillity followed a storm. Raven only looked to
the ground, the battle may have been repeating itself in her mind. She did not appear to
be in pain. She appeared to be in a state of reflection. What Raven wished to reflect on
after such an ordeal, Starfire did not know.
The young alien tilted her head, attempting to find Raven’s eyes. “Raven? Are
you unhurt?”
The comatose saviour did not meet her eyes with Starfire’s. She continued
towards the ground. “Starfire . . .” Starfire smiled with a sigh of relief. Now hearing
Raven’s unmarred response she moved to embrace, but the words that followed struck
Starfire like a blade to the chest and halted her mid-step. “Get away from me.”
Her words were cruel. Raven did not say them out of caution, but out of malice.
It was perfectly safe for Starfire to approach, only Raven did not want her near. Starfire
was at a loss, the shock now giving way to the pain as Raven’s silence resolved her doubt.
“Raven, I . . .”
Raven held up an open hand to hold Starfire’s tongue. The hand was shaking and
so was her speech. “Don’t Starfire! Don’t touch me!” There was urgency in her
command, but still without merit. Starfires’ body filled with tension and sorrow. For
some reason, Raven now despised her.
Starfire was not angry, for she did not have the strength to be angry. Raven’s
words had broken her. They had taken hope and contentment from the girl, things
Starfire could not bare to loose after last night. She had connected so profoundly with
Raven then, it was afterward difficult to be apart from her. Now this beautiful, exquisite
girl, whom Starfire gave so much of herself to, refused to be near her.
What had she done? How had Starfire wronged Raven that there arose such
spite? If Raven did not wish to be near, then Starfire would inquire from where she
stood. “I do not understand. Please tell me what has happened to make you so cross with
me, and I shall correct it.” She did her best to hide the quiver in her voice and fought the
urge to approach.
The plead fell upon closed ears, and Raven did not seem satisfied with the
distance that lay between them. She turned away, and moved towards the edge. “I’m
sorry, Starfire.” The apology brought no repose, for there was no penitence in it’s
delivery. “I’m not on this team to make friends. From now on, we work together and
nothing more. We are not friends.”
With the last awful words, Raven lifted into the air. No remorse in her tone, no
lingering in her flight. Starfire closed her gaped jaw as the tears began to run down her
cheeks. She watched in silence as Raven disappeared into the distance.
Starfire lost track of how long she stood in place after Raven left her. Why she
remained, she did not know. Many things did not make sense to her now. Perhaps she
expected Raven to return, to land beside her and amend them. She did not. Perhaps
Starfire did not wish to return to the tower, where she would have to face the girl who
broke her heart.
All Starfire knew is that she did not move. Not until a large metallic hand placed
itself upon her shoulder. “Starfire?”
Starfire turned as though she was being awoken from a slumber. There stood
Cyborg, covered in debris from wherever he landed. He was smiling, and try as she did,
Starfire could not smile back. “Looks like you and Raven made short work of that
iguana.”
The mention of Raven’s name caused Starfire’s diaphragm to tighten. She could
not respond with more than a meek nod. “Beast Boy’s gone back to the tower,” Cyborg
continued, not noticing the dried teardrops that held the dust to Starfire’s face. “Robin
should be back too. Where’s Raven?”
Again, the name brought grief to the girl. She did not want to respond, for the
fear that she may weep. “Raven...” Starfire laboured with the answer. It would not pass
her lips, as it seemed as heavy as lead. “...Has left me.”
Cyborg, although very compassionate and intelligent, did not distinguish emotions
well. Starfire felt her speech was so bleak, her troubled heart could not be bypassed.
Cyborg, however, proved her wrong. “She’s at the tower too? Okay, let’s me and you
get back. I think we all earned a little R and R, huh?”
He turned without pause for the trip home. Cyborg did not see that Starfire was
incapable of following. “Cyborg,” she called out in a whimper. The hulking boy turned
back, hearing her address. “Please wait for me. I do not think I am able to fly.”
*
Her vision was obstructed with moisture as Raven ordered the door closed behind
her. Now the confines of her room, she forced her back against the door to slow her fall
to the ground. Raven pushed a white-knuckled fist against her teeth to muffle herself, and
squeezed her eyes closed, pushing out the tears.
Raven sobbed quietly, not knowing how much noise she would make if she cried
as loud as she wanted to. Her crying began the moment she ordered Starfire not to touch
her. She did not show it then of course, but at her own words, her soul tore apart.
Love had not left her mind when Sparrow did. It remained and stayed as strong as
ever, and like all of Raven’s emotions, it had to be repressed. There was no telling what
would happen if she allowed it to surface.
But Raven could not contain the guilt and sorrow that caused her to cry. She had
told the person whom she loved, the person who taught her love, that she hated her. And
as much as she wanted to tell Starfire the truth, as much as she wanted to hold her, to run
her fingers through her scarlet hair and tell her how sorry she was, Raven grieved that she
would never be able to. Starfire needed to be pushed aside, and their relationship harshly
severed. It would be easier on both girls if Starfire was convinced Raven was hateful.
It was unavoidable that Raven would have to interact with Starfire, but as long as
the time they spent together was minimal, Raven’s love would fade into memory. After
all, without somebody to receive it, how could someone love?
Raven calmed her tears by repeating to herself; “it will get easier. Just like all the
other emotions, control this one, and it will get easier.” It would get easier, Raven was
sure. Every other feeling she experienced faded with time. This one seemed more
powerful, much more powerful, so Raven would have to take extra steps to ensure it
withered. Her outburst on the rooftop was a painful, but necessary start.
Looking to the future, Raven felt condolence. Starfire would forget and so would
she. Her crying had stopped, her composure returned, and Raven began to meditate.
7
The sounds of bells filled her ears as Starfire’s ligaments began to tear. Her
muscle tissue was beginning to break through the skin as Mandibore forced her limbs past
their flexibility limits. She wished to scream, but a tentacle was encompassing her mouth
and forcing her head back. Starfire’s attempt to struggle against the foul creature only
caused it’s grip to tighten.
As her vision fell to darkness, a new figure appeared in Starfire’s peripheral
vision, one which she thought had fallen in battle. A fluctuating blue cloak rose from the
alley, orbited by many large objects Starfire could not make out.
Mandibore took heed as well, and turned to face the recovered challenger. With
his attention upon another, Starfire’s restrains were relinquished just enough so she could
move her head. Raven was floating before the creature, protected by swift moving
articles that created a defensive parameter. Among these were a large trash disposal, an
iron pallet, and two motorised bicycles. There was no indication of Raven’s previous fear
in her disposition. There was only rage and determination, almost as though her victory
was assured.
Rising even higher above the gap, Raven howled; “Put the girl down!”
Mandibore seemed to understand the order, his comprehension verified by his
defiance to comply. Starfire felt the arms tighten again, her hands and feet becoming dark
shades of purple.
Raven would accept no more of the creature’s contempt. With a raising of her
hand, the trash disposal crashed into his body with tremendous force. The tentacles
involuntarily recoiled, and the newly freed Starfire fell into Raven’s telekinetic grasp.
Requiring little attention from her liberator, Starfire was gently placed upon the rooftop.
Safe but unable to stand upon her own power, she struggled to watch as Raven advanced
past her.
Raven floated as an irrevocable pillar, not turning her sight to anything but her
chosen target. Mandibore had been crushed between the large projectile and a firm brick
wall, but he was not vanquished. Both the stone and the steel had given way to him, and
he seemed uninjured as he tossed aside the mangled iron box.
None of the fright and shock that was felt by Starfire could be detected on Raven
as she ruthlessly hurled the other missiles at the beast. The strength of the impact
obliterated all of them to shards, and not even the mighty lizard could go unscathed from
such bombardment.
Smoke covered the rooftop. Burning debris and twisted metal fell from the air as
the battle subsided. Through the billowing ash, Starfire could not see any sign of the
creature, but she did not see Raven waver from her position or even look away from
where it had been. Her manner was one of inevitability. She knew something Starfire
did not, and she waited. Starfire was better learned than to question Raven’s instincts, so
until Raven spoke to her, she would not rise.
Mandibore sprang from the mist, this time every surviving arm wrapping around
the Sorceresses body. Her adrenaline fuelling her recovery, Starfire pushed herself
towards the renewed melee. Although she seemed helpless at the many hands of her
attacker, Raven did not appear to be alarmed, she did not even appear to be struggling.
She almost appeared expecting.
“Azrah...” The first of Raven’s mystical words filled the sky and boomed like
thunder in Starfire’s ears. It was followed by violent tremors that shook so hard they
halted Starfire’s dash and forced her to the ground. Mandibore did not seem to take
notice, continuing to attempt to squeeze the combat ability out of Raven.
“Metrion...” The next word caused the sky to darken. Through to the horizon,
sunlight seemed to disappear into shadow, and Starfire feared she may have suffered an
cranial injury that had affected her sight. This was not the case, as she witnessed in awe
what occurred upon Raven’s finalization.
“Zinthos!” The word cracked the air and echoed through the sky. Raven
vanished from the monster’s grasp in a shapeless vail of black. The shadow that took her
appeared behind the stupefied creature and struck with such lightning force the gravel
upon the roof was tossed into the air. Once again, the darkness vanished and revealed
itself on the opposite side of the last attack, driving into Mandibore again. It vanished
once more and struck once more, and again it happened. Countless more followed. After
every attack, the shadow seemed to increase in speed and frequency, and the attacks
became little more than a blur. All Starfire could make out for certain was the
convolutions of the helpless lizard, now utterly outmatched.
The final blow flew upwards from beneath Mandibore’s feet. The shadow
enveloped him, and for a moment, the two seemed to exist as one entity. Trapped in the
confines of a dark halo, the lizard twisted and jerked with great, but restrained force. As
malignant as the seizure was, he did not waver from his stance. He looked to be resisting,
however not knowing how to fight such an enemy.
The creature’s tentacles flailed ferociously in a last act of hopeless panic, and
Mandibore’s body broke apart. Starfire could not be certain if she actually observed what
she thought she observed. The creature’s body was tossed in many directions, and the
small fragments simply disintegrated. There was nothing left, as though the Teen Titans
had almost met their demise at the hands of a horrible dream. All that remained was the
destruction Mandibore had left in his wake, and Starfire’s recovering muscles would tell a
tale of a monster that was once very real.
The bringer of Mandibore’s demise now stood where he once did. Hidden in the
shadow of her garment, standing as tranquillity followed a storm. Raven only looked to
the ground, the battle may have been repeating itself in her mind. She did not appear to
be in pain. She appeared to be in a state of reflection. What Raven wished to reflect on
after such an ordeal, Starfire did not know.
The young alien tilted her head, attempting to find Raven’s eyes. “Raven? Are
you unhurt?”
The comatose saviour did not meet her eyes with Starfire’s. She continued
towards the ground. “Starfire . . .” Starfire smiled with a sigh of relief. Now hearing
Raven’s unmarred response she moved to embrace, but the words that followed struck
Starfire like a blade to the chest and halted her mid-step. “Get away from me.”
Her words were cruel. Raven did not say them out of caution, but out of malice.
It was perfectly safe for Starfire to approach, only Raven did not want her near. Starfire
was at a loss, the shock now giving way to the pain as Raven’s silence resolved her doubt.
“Raven, I . . .”
Raven held up an open hand to hold Starfire’s tongue. The hand was shaking and
so was her speech. “Don’t Starfire! Don’t touch me!” There was urgency in her
command, but still without merit. Starfires’ body filled with tension and sorrow. For
some reason, Raven now despised her.
Starfire was not angry, for she did not have the strength to be angry. Raven’s
words had broken her. They had taken hope and contentment from the girl, things
Starfire could not bare to loose after last night. She had connected so profoundly with
Raven then, it was afterward difficult to be apart from her. Now this beautiful, exquisite
girl, whom Starfire gave so much of herself to, refused to be near her.
What had she done? How had Starfire wronged Raven that there arose such
spite? If Raven did not wish to be near, then Starfire would inquire from where she
stood. “I do not understand. Please tell me what has happened to make you so cross with
me, and I shall correct it.” She did her best to hide the quiver in her voice and fought the
urge to approach.
The plead fell upon closed ears, and Raven did not seem satisfied with the
distance that lay between them. She turned away, and moved towards the edge. “I’m
sorry, Starfire.” The apology brought no repose, for there was no penitence in it’s
delivery. “I’m not on this team to make friends. From now on, we work together and
nothing more. We are not friends.”
With the last awful words, Raven lifted into the air. No remorse in her tone, no
lingering in her flight. Starfire closed her gaped jaw as the tears began to run down her
cheeks. She watched in silence as Raven disappeared into the distance.
Starfire lost track of how long she stood in place after Raven left her. Why she
remained, she did not know. Many things did not make sense to her now. Perhaps she
expected Raven to return, to land beside her and amend them. She did not. Perhaps
Starfire did not wish to return to the tower, where she would have to face the girl who
broke her heart.
All Starfire knew is that she did not move. Not until a large metallic hand placed
itself upon her shoulder. “Starfire?”
Starfire turned as though she was being awoken from a slumber. There stood
Cyborg, covered in debris from wherever he landed. He was smiling, and try as she did,
Starfire could not smile back. “Looks like you and Raven made short work of that
iguana.”
The mention of Raven’s name caused Starfire’s diaphragm to tighten. She could
not respond with more than a meek nod. “Beast Boy’s gone back to the tower,” Cyborg
continued, not noticing the dried teardrops that held the dust to Starfire’s face. “Robin
should be back too. Where’s Raven?”
Again, the name brought grief to the girl. She did not want to respond, for the
fear that she may weep. “Raven...” Starfire laboured with the answer. It would not pass
her lips, as it seemed as heavy as lead. “...Has left me.”
Cyborg, although very compassionate and intelligent, did not distinguish emotions
well. Starfire felt her speech was so bleak, her troubled heart could not be bypassed.
Cyborg, however, proved her wrong. “She’s at the tower too? Okay, let’s me and you
get back. I think we all earned a little R and R, huh?”
He turned without pause for the trip home. Cyborg did not see that Starfire was
incapable of following. “Cyborg,” she called out in a whimper. The hulking boy turned
back, hearing her address. “Please wait for me. I do not think I am able to fly.”
*
Her vision was obstructed with moisture as Raven ordered the door closed behind
her. Now the confines of her room, she forced her back against the door to slow her fall
to the ground. Raven pushed a white-knuckled fist against her teeth to muffle herself, and
squeezed her eyes closed, pushing out the tears.
Raven sobbed quietly, not knowing how much noise she would make if she cried
as loud as she wanted to. Her crying began the moment she ordered Starfire not to touch
her. She did not show it then of course, but at her own words, her soul tore apart.
Love had not left her mind when Sparrow did. It remained and stayed as strong as
ever, and like all of Raven’s emotions, it had to be repressed. There was no telling what
would happen if she allowed it to surface.
But Raven could not contain the guilt and sorrow that caused her to cry. She had
told the person whom she loved, the person who taught her love, that she hated her. And
as much as she wanted to tell Starfire the truth, as much as she wanted to hold her, to run
her fingers through her scarlet hair and tell her how sorry she was, Raven grieved that she
would never be able to. Starfire needed to be pushed aside, and their relationship harshly
severed. It would be easier on both girls if Starfire was convinced Raven was hateful.
It was unavoidable that Raven would have to interact with Starfire, but as long as
the time they spent together was minimal, Raven’s love would fade into memory. After
all, without somebody to receive it, how could someone love?
Raven calmed her tears by repeating to herself; “it will get easier. Just like all the
other emotions, control this one, and it will get easier.” It would get easier, Raven was
sure. Every other feeling she experienced faded with time. This one seemed more
powerful, much more powerful, so Raven would have to take extra steps to ensure it
withered. Her outburst on the rooftop was a painful, but necessary start.
Looking to the future, Raven felt condolence. Starfire would forget and so would
she. Her crying had stopped, her composure returned, and Raven began to meditate.