Starfire and Robin: Trust is everything

Apprentices

Starfire knew where Slade was hiding. This whole scheme was exactly like the one he pulled on Terra. Starfire flew to the mountain cave that they had found Terra in. And there, Slade was waiting. He was leaning against the wall, clapping. Starfire held out her hand, clenched into a fist, with her starbolts ready to fire in case.

Slade came out of the dark. "Starfire," he said calmly and menacingly, "I applaud your braveness. Running away from your friends in order to save them was commendable. It must be hard... running from your family." Slade cirlced her. At one point he touched her cheek, but she made no move. Starfire knew that Slade was stronger than he had been before and chances are, with his martial art skills, he could defeat her in a mere ten minutes.

Starfire kept up her starbolt. "Why do you want me?"

Slade started to laugh, "Oh dear girl, I don't simply want you. I need you." Slade circled around Starfire and knocked her out, hitting her with his Bo staff. "And when you wake up, you won't even remember the Titans."

***

Starfire awoke in a different place. She was no longer in the cave, but in a factory, it seemed. Her head pounded loudly, giving her migranes. Her long pink hair was matted to the back of her neck. She was sweating. Her eyes darted around the room, taking in everything. She couldn't remember anything before she had awakened.

She stood up, her body aching in many places. She was wearing an orange and silver suit. It looked like metal but was comfortable and flexible. She had seen this suit before. But she couldn't remember where.

Slade jumped down from a platform above her and landed only a few inches from her face. "Starfire."

Instinctively, she answered, "Yes?"

He smiled behind his mask, "Do you know what i want you to do?"

She smirked and raised an eyebrow, "Yes, but tell me one more time."

He talked slowly, giving her the satisfaction of hearing it, "Detroy. the. titans."

And with that, she flew off, leaving her master to plan some more. She wasn't Starfire anymore. She was different. She was just like Terra.

***

Robin had entranced himself with different articles and facts abotu Slade that he knew, hoping all of the information would come together and name a place he would be hiding. His eyes skimmed each newspaper, each article. Frustrated, he turned to the wall and punched it, leaving a gaping hole staring back at him. His breathing had fastened, beads of sweat dripped down his back leaving trails of liquid. He knew he wasn't going to find Slade, but he had to try. For Starfire at least.

Cyborg knocked on the door. Robin was hesitant to open it, fearing he would lose it and something would happen. But reluctantly, he opened it. Cyborg's arms were crossed against his chest and he waited. Robin's breathing was still ragged. After a few seconds, he was calm again. Then Cyborg began to speak, "You ok?"

Robin nodded silently, then letting out an exagerrated sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine." He knew it wasn't true. He wasn't fine at all. He wouldn't be, and couldn't be fine until they found Slade and saved Starfire. When he was Slade's apprentice it wasn't easy at all to obey him and turn against his friends. And if it wasn't easy for Robin, who was tough and could go through anything, it was impossible for Starfire. No, Robin couldn't go through anything. He couldn't go through losing Starfire. Especially not to Slade. Starfire was Robin's, and Robin's only.

Cyborg's brow furrowed and he pointed to the hole in the wall, "You don't seem ok..."

Robin's eyes stayed on the hole while he spoke, "Better the wall, then some i care about."