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Starfire crashed hard into a nearby truck after being sent back by Blackfire’s recent attack.

The impact was hard enough to send the truck on its side, making a loud crash when it hit the ground. Starfire pulled herself up, revealing she had a few bruises on her arms and legs. Some of her uniform was ripping around her gloves and boots as well. Despite the damage she took she picked herself up and floated as she looked to see Blackfire approaching.

Star grited her teeth before firing more starbolts at her sister, Blackfire making a barrier around herself to deflect them. When that failed Blackfire took the chance and used her ring to fire an energy blast, one which Star managed to fly away from. The blast hit the truck and blew it to pieces before Blackfire looked up to see Star flying towards her.

Using her ring Blackfire created a red energy shield that Star rammed into before punching at it with her fists. Blackfire had to give credit that Star’s strength didn’t wane as she managed to punch hard enough to make cracks in her construct. When it finally broke Star landed a punch on her sister, sending her back towards the ground. Blackfire managed to save herself before hitting the ground before firing another blast towards star. This one came close enough to Starfire that she readied to block with her arms, only for it to separate into many streams that began wrapping around her.

The blast was actually one that became energy ribbons that coiled around Starfire in a trick act by her sister, one she smirked at when Star was tightly wrapped up after falling for it. Star struggled for a moment before Blackfire zipped up in front of her and punched her hard enough to send her onto one of the rooftops. Star hit and rolled when she landed, groaning a little when she stopped.

Blackfire hovered towards where her sister laid while saying “You’re only making this harder for yourself, baby sister. Why can’t you just lay down and take accept it? I’m the stronger one. I’m the better one!”

Star struggled while saying “You may be stronger, but that does not make you better!”

With a growing roar Starfire used all her strength to break through the bonds around her. The energy ribbons broke like normal ones before disappearing, Blackfire looking a bit surprised by her sister’s actions. When Star stood ready to fight, showing she wasn’t about to give up, this angered Blackfire enough to make her eyes flare before firing more red energy from her ring at her.

From below Robin and Cyborg could only see the lights flaring from the rooftop where the two fought. A moment later they saw Starfire fall from one side before recovering and flying in the air, only for Blackfire to zip forward and smash into her for the fight to continue.

Robin looked worried as ever before slamming his fist against a nearby wall and saying “This is ridiculous! I can’t just sit here and do nothing while Star’s in trouble. I have to…”

Cyborg stood in front of him to block him off and said “The only thing you’re going to do is get yourself killed! You heard Starfire. She has to do this on her own.”

“Look at her!” Robin said, making Cy look back to see as the two still fought. “She can’t take much more, and I don’t want to lose her!”

As Robin started to walk off Cy tried to stop with “Wait! You shouldn’t-”

Robin stopped and looked back only to say “Talk with Kyle. If he’s not here within ten minutes, then we throw everything at Blackfire.” He made sure he looked Cyborg straight in the eye when he finished with “And we don’t hold anything back.”

Cyborg looked surprised, if a bit shocked, by Robin’s decision. He just stood there as Robin turned back and ran off to help Starfire against her sister.

Quickly Cyborg activated his communicator on his arm and called “Kyle, please tell me you’ve dealt with Atrocitus by now.”

From the other end Kyle said “If be ‘dealt’ you mean getting nowhere fast, then yeah.”

“We need you over here right now. Starfire’s taking the worst beating and that’s pushing Robin’s to declare war on Blackfire if things get any more out of hand.”

As he struggled with his fight, Kyle said “And if I try to come over Atrocitus will just follow. And then you’ll two raging lanterns to deal with.”

Cyborg, realizing Kyle was right, gave a disagreeing growl before saying “There’s got to be something we can do! Isn’t there anything the ring told you that can help?”

Kyle, who’s managed to blast Atrocitus away during this point, thought for a moment before saying “There may be one way.”

As Cyborg listened to Kyle’s idea, Starfire and Blackfire had reached the point in their fight where both fired their natural eye beams at each other. Star’s green mixed with Blackfire’s purple when both beams collided and caused a small explosion in the air. When it settled Star had covered herself with her arms only for Blackfire to take advantage and fly right into her, tackling her down into the street below.

After landing Blackfire stood over her sister, who was unconscious from the massive impact, and readied her ring to fire. From behind Robin threw a volley of smoke-bombs that went off around Blackfire’s distracting her in time for him to land a kick to her face. She stumbled and recovered, trying to see where Robin was. He used the smoke again and threw a few birdrangs at her, Blackfire seeing them in time to blast them out of the air with her ring.

When the smoke cleared she realized not only was Robin gone but Starfire as well, making her angrier as she roared before blasting at a nearby car. Robin had managed to use the attacks on Blackfire as a distraction for getting Star away from her in time to recover.

“You can’t hide forever!” she yelled. “I’ll tear every building in this city down and destroy anyone who stands in my way! You hear me, sister?”

With no answer Blackfire started blasting at cars and random areas around her while Robin and brought Starfire to a nearby alleyway. He laid her down and waited until she woke, Star taking a moment to realize where she was and who with.

“Robin?” she asked. “You…..interfered. Even after I had told you-”

He stopped her by saying “I’m not about to let someone I care for give herself up for me.” She smiled a little at this before he tried to help her up to her feet, asking “Are you alright?”

She struggled to stand while saying “I doubt any of us will be if Blackfire continues her violent rampage.”

“Then we’ll hit her with every last thing we can throw at her.” He said, slamming his fist into his hand. “She’s gone too far and she has to be stopped.”

Cyborg suddenly called via Robin’s communicator and said “Robin. Starfire. I just got word from Kyle.”

Robin answered it while asking “Is he coming?”

“No. But he did give us the one thing we’ll need to stop Blackfire. We just have to-”

Before he could finish, an explosion from the street came down the alley towards Robin and Star. Both of them ran for it, Star picking Robin up by the arms to fly him out of alley in time before either were caught in the explosion. They were forced back towards the street where, after taking a moment to relax, they realized they were right in the open for Blackfire to see.

“There you are!” she said before firing her ring.

The red beam changed into a giant fist that smashed into Robin and sent him back into a pile of garbage. Starfire gasped at the sight before turning back towards her sister, only for Blackfire to have flown fast enough to smash Star back as well.

Star was smashed against a wall, it cracking from the impact, before Blackfire grabbed her sister by the collar and said “No more game, sister! No more of your friends getting in the way! This is down to you and me!”

She tossed Starfire overhead, sending her back into the street and onto the ground. Starfire groaned as she tried to pick herself up while looking back towards Blackfire.

“Everything…..that has happened…” Starfire said as she struggled to stand “….has been your own doing.”

“Oh really?” Blackfire said as she flew over and stood over Star. “Was banishing me from home my fault?”

Starfire now fully stood and said “After you tried to marry me off so that you could have power all to yourself. You ruled our people unjustly.”

“I was the rightful heir! The throne was mine either way! And you took that away from me!” Blackfire shouted as her eyes went red.

“And so you chose aligned yourself with some of Earth’s greatest villains, all for revenge.”

“Cleary I shouldn’t have put my faith in them!” Blackfire retorted before saying “It doesn’t matter either way. I’m a Red Lantern now! All my hatred, all my rage will be justified today!”

She blasted Starfire with another bolt from her ring, making her land on her back. Star screamed in pain and then groaned as she laid on the ground with Blackfire now looming over her.

She picked her up by the collar and aid “I think it’s only fitting. You never cared enough about me, so it won’t really hurt when I put an end to you.” She pointed her hand with the ring right into Star’s face and said “Goodbye, Starfire.”

Before she did however Star gave a weak “How could you…..say that?”

Blackfire looked confused when she asked “Wh-What?”

“How could you say….that I did not care for you? I have always cared….about you.”

Blackfire gritted her teeth and said “No! You’re lying!”

Starfire struggled again as she said “Do you know what today is, Blackfire?” When her sister showed she didn’t know Star answered “It is the Day of Zerfu’tanra. Do you not…remember what that means?”

Blackfire was quiet for a moment before answering “We honor our families and loved ones.” At first she seemed to calm before looking angry again and saying “You think you can win me over with words? You had me banished from Tamaran, Starfire. My home! Our home!”

“I only….did what I thought was best. For the people….and for you.”

“How could that have been for the best?” Blackfire asked looking more angry and ready to blast Starfire’s head off with her ring.

“Would you have preferred imprisonment? To have been locked away for the remainder of your days? To still be hated by our people?” Starfire could see as Blackfire was contemplating what she said, making her continue with “I sent you away….because there was nothing else for you on Tamaran. The people would have fought and hated you. And you would be an outcast one way or another. I had hoped that you would find a better life, a chance at a new one, somewhere else.” With a defeated tone Starfire said “But I see I was wrong now. You will not change, and I suppose I cannot do so anymore.”

Cyborg had run over to where Robin landed in the garbage and helped to dig him out. By the time he found him Starfire had been explaining herself her sister and once Robin recovered he could see what was happening, the defeated look in Starfire’s eyes and the sudden shocked look on Blackfire’s. He tried to act but found his whole left side hurting, Cyborg keeping him still while both looked to see what would happen next.

Starfire closed her eyes and relaxed herself when she said “I am tired of all of this fighting. If killing me is what you want, Blackfire, then do so. It is your decision now.”

Blackfire just stood there still holding her sister with her ring pointed right at her head. While she said nothing it was clear the Tamaranian Red Lantern was having an inner conflict with herself. She kept looking away with a more sincere look only to look back at time with the intent of killing Starfire. Her hand kept lowering or lifting itself so she could aim the ring back at Starfire’s head, looking ready to finish her.

It finally came to the point where Blackfire was about to make her choice, her ring now squarely pointed at Starfire and her eyes blazing red with anger. The red ring charged. Robin and Cyborg held their breaths. Starfire only stayed the way she was, waiting for what her sister would do.

In that brief moment so many thoughts and memories went through Blackfire’s head. So many instances in her life that made her into who she was today. Starfire’s warm welcome when she first came to Earth despite the fact she was there to frame her sister. Then came times when they were younger and Blackfire would always steal from her sister or trick her or any number of horrible things she would do. Yet there were other times when Starfire, despite what her sister did, would always care for her.

One memory of most importance was when she was younger and a group of children were picking on Blackfire. A younger Starfire stood by and at first seemed not wanting to help the same sister who had called her names before. Yet despite all that Starfire still came to her sister’s rescue, the two managing t drive the bullying children away before both shared a hug. This had shown despite everything else they were still sisters in the end.

As all this came back to Blackfire a tear rolled down her cheek. Her ring hand slowly lowered itself and her grip on Starfire softened to the point of letting her go.

Starfire, finally opening her eyes, looked to see Blackfire’s eyes dim from the red glow and become normal again. They were her original eyes looking at her, tears building in them as she started crying.

“I’m……I’m sorry.” She said, the tears falling faster down her face. “I…I didn’t mean…I….”

Blackfire covered her face to hide herself from Starfire, only for her sister to hold her shoulder making me look to her. Starfire, with a sincere look in her eyes, smiled before slowly pulling Blackfire in for a hug.

“I am sorry as well, Blackfire.” Star said, still holding her. “I love you, my sister.”

Blackfire, still crying on Star’s shoulder, brought her arms up from behind and slowly returned her hug. Seeing this from the sidelines Robin and Cyborg, both on their feet, couldn’t help but smile with relief to see Starfire and Blackfire subsiding their anger for each other.

Blackfire, still hugging her sister, began to say “I…I lo-” only to be interrupted when the ring began to glow oddly.

From the ring came a voice that said [Rage Compromised] making it glow bright before Blackfire began to feel odd.

She gasped and moved away from Starfire, she looking confused by what was happening, before trying to say “Wh-what’s…..?”

********************

Meanwhile Atrocitus and Kyle Rayner both floated in the air over a half destroyed forest. Both were out of breath and doing their best to catch it, obviously showing that their battle was a very intense one.

“That….the best…you got?” Kyle said in-between breaths.

Atrocitus growled before saying “I’ve barley….started. You ignorant little.....” He stopped when his ring began to beep, he looking down at it and then sighing. “I see. So she’s failed then.”

Kyle looked confused and asked “What?”

Atrocitus did not answer but looked back to Kyle and said “We’re done here, boy. It would seem my protégé has failed. And now….there’s nothing I can do for her.”

Kyle began to ask “What are you….?” Before the thought suddenly came to mind, making him look worried and say “Oh no!” and then flying off as fast as possible.

Atrocitus did not follow, instead only watching as Kyle flew off and saying to himself “A shame. And her I believed she had such great potentially.” He started flying off back to space before finishing with “I guess I’ll have to start all over again.”

********************

As Blackfire fell to her knees Star said “Blackfire?! What is it?”

Robin and Cyborg rushed over as well, only for Blackfire to now start clutching her heart as if it was in pain. She screamed more from pain before starting to gasp for air, the red ring glowing brighter from this.

Suddenly the red energy from inside Blackfire’s body, the same that had entered through her mouth when she first received her ring, spewed out from her mouth and was absorbed back into the red ring. When it finished Blackfire collapsed onto the ground, the Red Lantern ring now slipped from her finger and lying on the ground. With the ring gone Blackfire’s Red Lantern uniform disappeared, revealing her normal Tamaranian clothing underneath.

Star ran over and picked Blackfire up, saying “No! Blackfire! What happened?”

Cyborg kneeled down next to her and ran his scanners over Blackfire before saying “Her heart rates dropping fast. It’s like she had a heart attack or something.”

“But how?” Robin asked. “We got the ring off her, that’s all.”

“Exactly!” they heard someone say. All looked up as Kyle came floating down while saying “A Red Lantern Ring takes all the energy it has stored in it and unleashes it into the wearers heart. Making it there dependent means of living.”

Kyle began to make a breathing tank with a mask over Blackfire’s mouth while Cyborg asked “So you’re saying the ring did this?”

“It’s powered by a person’s rage.” Kyle explained. “As long as she’s angry the ring feeds off that and gives the Lantern life. But you stopped her from hating and the ring didn’t have anything else, so it let go of her all together.”

Robin looked to where the red power ring was and picked it up before looking back and asking “Will she be alright?”

“I can’t tell.” Kyle said. “We need to get her to a hospital. Now.”

Blackfire woke a little and gave a weak “St….Star…fire…”

Star grabbed her sister’s hand and held it while saying “Stay still Blackfire. You will be alright. I will not lose you this time….promise.”

With that Blackfire slowly slipped and eventually blacked out.

********************

In the general hospital of the city Blackfire was asleep inside a medical room which Starfire was looking at through a window in the hallway.

Starfire had been bandaged around her arms and legs from the injuries she took from fighting with her sister but she was standing straight while looking deeply concerned for her sister. Robin, Cyborg and Kyle were nearby. Robin was leaning against a wall and Kyle standing next to him while Cyborg sat on the nearby chair. They’d been waiting for a good while but only Starfire was the one to remain where she was.

“Think she’ll be okay?” Kyle asked Robin.

“We won’t know until the doctors say so.” He answered.

Kyle looked to the boy wonder and said “Wasn’t talking about Blackfire.” Robin looked back at him before he continued with “Star just went through a lot today. And I won’t lie, it could’ve gotten a lot worse. For both of them.”

Robin looked back to Starfire before saying to Kyle “She’ll pull through. Both of them. After that… I guess we’ll have to see what comes of it.”

Kyle nodded before saying “I should get going. I probably already missed my last class. Going to be a long day trying to explain this to the principle.” He and Robin shook hands before he said “Sorry I couldn’t have helped more.”

“You did plenty, Kyle.” Robin said with a smile. “Thanks again. Hopefully next time we call it won’t be for anything bad.”

“In our line or work, Robin?” Kyle asked with a smirk.

Robin smirked as well before Kyle walked off, he saying goodbye to Cyborg as he did. He looked back towards Starfire and waited until she looked as well. Both shared a quick smile before she nodded to him, he returning it before fully walking out to exit the hospital.

Robin watched as Kyle left before turning around, only to bump into a doctor as he did. The doctor himself looked about 40 with blonde hair and thin glasses over his eyes. In his hand was a clipboard which he’d nearly dropped when he and Robin collided.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” he said after both recovered. Seeing him the doctor said “Oh, you’re the ones who brought the alien girl in. Correct?”

Starfire and Cyborg looked towards them before Robin sad “Yeah, that’s us. So what’s her condition?”

The doctor smiled a bit and said “Well there’s good news. We managed to stabilize her and her heart is working proper again. Though there’s…complications.”

“What do you mean?” Starfire asked, walking up to the doctor.

He turned to her and said “We believe there may be some internal damage of some kind. We can’t be too sure but we can’t exactly perform any proper examinations as of yet.”

“Why not? Cyborg asked. “Is there anything we can do?”

“Oh no, nothing right now.” The doctor looked to him to answer. “It’s just we’re not well equip to handle…well non-human patients. But we’ve sent word. She’ll be taken to a proper facility where she’ll be looked after.”

Starfire looked back to the window to see Blackfire and said “Then…..she must leave?”

The doctor placed his hand on her shoulder before saying “I am sorry, my dear. But it’s for the best. Believe me.”

Starfire turned back and said “I will go with her. I do not wish to see her go again and not know if-”

“Please, my dear girl, calm yourself.” He said. “You’ll have nothing to worry about. These people have dealt with alien medical treatments before. They know what they’re doing. You have nothing to worry about.”

Robin walked next to Starfire, holding her, and said “It’s okay, Star. They know what they’re doing. All we can do for now is wait, and hope everything turns out better.”

Starfire sighed before looking back to the doctor and saying “You will let me know if she needs anything, yes?”

“Of course.” The doctor said. “Until then I’d listen to your friend.” He started to walk off before saying “Oh speaking of friends, I the rest of yours are waiting in the room down the hall.”

“You mean Raven and Beast Boy?” Star asked, perking with interest as much as Robin and Cyborg suddenly did.

“Indeed.” He chuckled a little. “There was actually a little confusion when the doctors thought the green boy was the sick one. But the girl, Raven, has some internal injuries that they managed to mend. The green boy never left her side the entire time. You can see them both if you want.”

Cyborg answered with “We will. And thanks for everything, Doc.”

As they all walked off the doctor said “Anytime.” Once they were gone he smirked and repeated “Anytime.” Before turning around.

A trio of men came in wheeling a large tube-like containment unit. Once they all showed they were ready the doctor opened the door to Blackfire’s room where she still rested. On the side of the unit were the initials that spelled out S.T.A.R.

********************

The three Titans entered the room where they found Beast Boy and Raven. He was sitting on a chair next to the bed where she was lying, a few bandages around her waist.

Once they came in Starfire nearly shouted “Beast Boy! Raven! You are both unharmed!”

“Can’t exactly say the same for you.” Raven smirked, indicating her bandages.

Beast Boy looked and asked “Blackfire? Did you guys….?”

“She won’t be a problem anymore.” Robin said before looking to Raven. “We figured it out by the way. The best way to stop her was to have Starfire fully open up to her. Guess in the end that’s what Blackfire needed.”

Raven gave a downcast look before saying “I tried to tell you guys but she stopped me before I could.”

“No, this was my fault.” Starfire suddenly said, making them look to her. “I should have been more truthful with Blackfire from the beginning. Perhaps things would not have become so dangerous if I had only told her everything before.”

The other Titans looked worried at Starfire’s confession before Robin said “Starfire, you can’t let that get to you.” She turned as he continued with “I know what that’s like, wishing you could go back and change things. But the truth is that you can’t change what’s already happened. What happened with Blackfire wasn’t anymore your fault then it was any of ours.” He indicated the rest of the Titans who gave her reassuring smiles. “Right now, all you need to know is that Blackfire’s better off now. And when she’s recovered, hopefully things will be different then from before.”

“Do you believe that?” she asked.

“Hey, it’s either that or we end up going through another long day of beating the snot out of each other until she does.” BB joked.

Raven groaned a little and said “Maybe I’ll sit out next time that happens.” She sighed and relaxed more before saying “At least it’s over.”

“For now, maybe.” Cyborg said. “Atrocitus is still out there. And who knows who else he’ll try to make into another Red Lantern. Imagine if next time it’s one of the Brotherhood of Evil? Or even Slade?”

“Either way we’ll be ready.” Robin said. He started reaching for his pocket as he said “At least for now we have….” He stopped when his hand fumbled around for a moment and then, after checking his other pockets, he said “Where is it?”

“Where’s what?” Beast Boy asked.

“Blackfire’s ring.” Robin said. “I just had it in my pocket. I know I did.” He stopped when he couldn’t find it and said “It’s gone.”

As the other Titans looked at each other, worried about this, Starfire asked “But where?”

********************

In an undisclosed location Blackfire was wheeled into a room while secured inside the containment unit. The doctor from before walked beside as she was wheeled into a darkly lite room, still sleeping peacefully inside with a breathing mask still attached to her.

When they came to a stop, someone waiting for them, the woman from before asked “So this is the one?”

“Yes, ma’am.” The false doctor answered. “She’s still recovering but in good condition. And we managed to recover this as well. The source of the odd radiation readings.”

From his pocket the doctor revealed the red power ring he’d managed to swipe off Robin. The woman walked over and took it from him, examining it for a moment.

“Good work, agent.” She said. “Have this put in storage for now. If this new Green Lantern get out of hand, or some other extraterrestrial threat wearing a ring, we’ll at least have something to counter it.”

He took the ring back and said “Yes, ma’am. But what about the girl?” He pointed back to her and asked “I mean when she’s recovered do we just….?”

“Give her the treatment.” She bluntly answered. “After that we’ll figure what to do with her.”

The doctor was surprised and said “But…but ma’am, she’s an alien. I thought-”

Looking to where Blackfire laid “She’s a potential candidate. One I don’t intend to let slip from our fingers. She may not be from this world, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be treated as a human being.” She looked back to the doctor and asked with a threatening tone “Any objections?”

The doctor backed down and said “No, ma’am.” Before walking off.

She walked over to where Blackfire was and rested her hand on the glass covering of the containment unit. In her state Blackfire’s eyes opened a little, she in a daze like condition, and she looked up to see the woman looking at her.

She could tell the woman was obese yet had a commanding air about her. The way her eyes looked showed she had authority and demanded it be respected. She was African America and wore a blue dress suit, her short dark hair reaching just to her ears.

As Blackfire began to drift back to sleep the woman said “Rest easy, Blackfire. You’re in good hands now. Good hands.”

END