Starfire

Ooof! The Tamaranean exclaimed. Starfire was dropped into the arena on her bum and hit a sharp rock on her way down. Picks of recognition wormed their way up her spine and she saw the world around her shine with glorious luminescence. “Oh, my! The flakes of icy whiteness. What glorious misfortune!” Starfire exclaimed, her excited expression muted by a scrunched grimace. Her nose was instantaneously plagued with a reddish hue and the tamaranean broke into a fit of sneezes. Starfire curled her robe about her body and bowed her head. Her hair was speckled with ice and fog hovered a few millimeters from her mouth. She did what she could to raise the cloth to shield her body, but the lack of ultraviolet rays was stifling. Her power was diminished and she couldn’t reach her senses any further than mundane limitations would allow. “Where are my friends? Where am I?” Starfire mused aloud. Her thoughts barely made it a whisper beyond her cloak. But she swore that her questions were going to get answers; someday. Turned out, that day was right that very second. The Tamaranean’s obliviousness wormed her into colliding with a small alien. It was a small blue female Twi’lek. Starfire had only ever seen two Twi’lek before and was wondering what a curious creature was doing out in the snow. Clearly not acknowledging the fact that Starfire knocked the little girl over, she continued to stare without moving to assist. ((1))

It was meant to be Helena thinking that Hawke is beautiful, so I will fix that. As to the other adjustments, I will make them shortly. ((Oops... I mean to say this as Big Will. Silly me.))

The rejection was a hard pill to swallow for the Tamaranean as the cold of the evening air began to brush itself around her weighted equipment. She figured it might have been a little more likely than acceptance, with the irritated and rather suspicious woman pushing herself about like a flaming florgnash, but the blow was still difficult to digest. Star looked over at Sandy as she was dragged along behind her master and tossed her a small bag, taking care not to seem too hasty or reckless. It was an heirloom of her people and not something given away willy nilly, but Starfire felt that the girl would need it; or at least, that she would derive more use from it than Starfire would. It was a small amber crystal mined from Starfire's home planet that held the same energy absorption capability that the Tamaraneans did. It would supply warmth, light, and even a small amount of additional power to those that knew how to use it. If it was used too much however, it would drain of color and become a motionless glass. The crystal was fastened in a small leather pouch that Starfire held at her side and she hoped that the older woman didn't catch it before it got to Sandy. Then, Starfire pulled her hood up and started walking in the opposite direction to rejoin her friends.

The slow evening winds began to beckon the night as Starfire stood silently before the larger woman. She listened intently to what she had to say, but was slightly conflicted with the words she was given. Starfire looked at the older woman after she turned away, expectant, nervous and a little unsatisfied with the answers she was given. She wasn't really going be inconsiderate and ask to pry further into her mind, but she didn't want to sit around and pour through books when actionable experience was far more practical. The Tamaranean paused for a moment moving her hands around slightly as her weighted gauntlets started register and her strength started to wain. She accepted the small girl's thanks and then, ignoring her gauntlets, she turned back toward the woman. Hesitant laced her thoughts. Hesitation to begin among them, but she figured if she didn't try, there was no hope for it anyhow. "I-uh... Wonder if you wouldn't mind me tagging along with you for a little, if its not too much trouble. I can hold my own weight and I'll do my best not to interfere with your lessons. I might even be able to keep Sandy company if you need to go places." Starfire's eyes lit slightly as they widened. Her voice carried undertones of conviction, but soft enough in her wide open eyes that she hoped the reflection wouldn't register negatively.

A voice emerged from within the silent staccato breaths of the young girl's sobbing, but it wasn't Sandy's voice. Starfire took a moment to register the difference in timbers, but the suddenness of the question caught her off guard. Her head shuffled a little and the Tamaranean shifted slightly, but she did her best to cause no harm to the little girl as she slowly rose and greeted the older woman at her full height. Starfire's eyes didn't quite meet the older woman's so she had to look down, but Starfire smiled and greeted her warmly anyway, flashing a bright array of gleaming white teeth. She nodded silently and looked from the small girl sobbing on the ground to the older woman and brushed a lock of her crimson hair behind her ear. "At first," Starfire said, indicating a small nearby bench with one of the fingers of her right hand, "I was observing an unfamiliar custom. I mean, I have seen battle before, but the illuminated sword is... New?" Starfire hesitated a little, but continued making eye contact with the woman as she continued. "Then I noticed the small girl here, I believe her name is Sandy? I think that's what I heard. Anyway, I saw her put in a situation where she ended up in over her head. Then, when she fell down and needed assistance I felt like I should help. The other man seemed focused on other things and you were talking with the man over there, so I felt someone needed to help the girl." Starfire took a moment to check on Sandy again to see if she was alright, then turned back to the older woman. "I am sorry if I interrupted something, I am unfamiliar with the way things are done on this planet and although my people would have handled the situation differently, I have been influenced to, and had the privilege to see other patterns of behavior. So I have explored patterns of kindness and caring and find that I have a great capacity for such things. Still, I if my intrusion is unwelcome I may stand aside. I am kind of curious though... What is the light side? And what is it a light side of?" Starfire's anxiety and curiosity got the better of her and her last few words began to spill out faster than they should have, but they were still coherent even in their rush.

Starfire slowly cocked her head to the side in bewilderment as the the small child accepted her hand and got to her feet. It wasn't the act itself that puzzled Star, so much as the expression on the girl's face. After all, it was a simple action that Starfire thought it wouldn't require much effort, but the girl seemed to be having a rough time with the act itself. Star's clear green eyes were greeted with a sobbing pair of puffy red and Starfire was immediately a great deal more confused than she had been before; confused, but somehow concerned. Why was Sandy sad? Was it because of the larger woman? Was it because she got hurt? Starfire hesitated a moment when the smaller child broke from her grip to join the dog only a few paces away, but something in the child's sagging shoulders beckoned the Tamaranean closer. She was still fairly new to this galaxy and its customs, so she didn't quite know what was appropriate and what wasn't, but a subconscious impulse led Starfire's feet over to where Sandy sobbed and guided her arm around Sandy's shoulders. Her hand and arm wrapped gently around Sandy's back and shoulders. She could feel each heave of the girl's body as she sobbed profusely and Star was pushed scarce to tears herself, reminiscing of her own recent history. She had some experience in emotional training through the battle hardened culture of her planet and was able to fight the urge of discordance off of her own shoulders with mild difficulty, but there were more important things to focus on. She was putting mental energy on something that didn't require it and decided instead to focus on the little girl. She found comfort in the act of helping the smaller girl vent her emotions and sought to focus as much as she could on trying to transfer a small amount of her energy to the girl, in the hopes that it would make her feel better. In all reality, it probably wouldn't work, because the reservoir of radiation energy that Starfire held within her own body was designed for her own species, but she hoped that some small bit of warmth would find its way to Sandy. It sounded like she needed it. "Please don't be alarmed," whispered Starfire with a comfortable presence and manner, her golden face lingering just above Sandy's left ear, "my name is Starfire. I have merely come to seek your health. Are you alright?" Starfire smiled slightly and held the other side of the girl's shoulder softly. Sandy could break away if the gesture was uncomfortable or inappropriate, but Starfire wanted to do what she could to help.

Starfire's senses peaked slightly as more radiation poured through the exposed skin of her neckline, granting her enough distance to audibly hear the conversation, but even while she could hear the conversation and slowly began to understand what the whole exercise was, it didn't mean she understood everything that was said. She knew basic just fine and figured there weren't any codes used even though the Tamaranean didn't know any, but... Light Side? What is the light side? Does that mean there is a dark side? If so... Of what? Starfire's curiosity rose sharply in her mind, sending an uncomfortable chill through her spine that she wanted to sate, but she stove off the interest even more and had to force herself to remain gazing at the bushes in front of her. It wasn't that the small brown animal in the bushes didn't derive enough attention in and of itself as it chattered about and collected small brown objects, but Starfire's curiosity was often unrelenting in its charge to rush away from control in an unbounded attempt at seizing even the most basic of intentions; even if her strains of interest were sometimes pointless. When she heard that they would all be leaving though, she sighed deeply. She had hoped to find some reason to join them, to see exactly what it was that they were doing, but she didn't know how or what path to take. She didn't even know if there was a path to take, but that she would like to take it if there was. Still, while larger woman was preoccupied, Starfire could still check on the girl... Sandy? Was it? She spotted the little girl on the ground, her blond hair splayed about the grass and unfastened a clasp of her cloak, allowing more of the girl beneath it to sneak through. After the cold air of the dimming afternoon light rushed in to meet the rest of her body, she slowly walked over to the little girl on the ground and offered a friendly and stable hand to the little girl's prone form. "You need help?" She asked, without even the slightest hint of darkness in her bright gold complexion.

The situation seemed to turn sour in an instant and Starfire felt like leaping from the bench to help the poor girl, but it was not her place and she didn't understand the customs of these people. Perhaps such rash action would be offensive? But the poor girl was in danger... Starfire did her best to shrug off her valiant impulse and instead began to slowly make her way a little bit closer. She slid her right leg out from underneath her left, ignoring the rough edge of the stone bench and quietly made her way over to a series of bushes nearby. She didn't crouch in them, but instead admired the bushes for what they were. It would seem her entire center of focus was on these bushes, her green gaze capture in their leaves, and a small brown animal that resided just below, but she stuck the peripheral of her gaze to the now quartet of humanoids from a distance. If something dangerous was indeed going on, she would have none of it. After all she didn't carry a vibro axe underneath her cloak just for show.

Starfire's eyes widened with anxious anticipation when it appeared that the small blonde girl from earlier was being paired with a much larger gentleman. They were engaged in a particularly intense session with flying mechanical drones. It looked dangerous, but Starfire's green eyes weren't held open upon horrific impulse, but instead a curious wonderment at the nuance training style. The Tamaranean scooted herself to the edge of her bench and stared over in their direction intently, removing her hood to let the afternoon sun play over her auburn hair and golden skin. It was a pleasant feeling, the rush of sunlight as it soaked into her and the sensation of rejuvenation and strength it gave. It was simple, familiar; and it left the Tamaranean feeling comfortable and content, even when her entire body was bubbling with excitement. Ooooh... I wonder what will happen next.

Starfire tripped up a little as she trailed after her friends, brushing her knee upon the cold durasteel walkway. It was a bare scratch that didn't pierce through her legging, but it was enough to pause her stride and enough for her 'friends' to march on ahead of her. Friends... I still don't really know what that means. It had been hours since Starfire walked away from the Hospital wreckage and even a small shuttle ride couldn't take her thoughts away from the gore, the confusion and the panic. Her emerald eyes soaked in the disparity of the spectacle and her heart just... Ached. Starfire brushed the gold of her skin, pushed a few stranded locks of auburn from her bright green eyes, and finally resigned to fatigue and stopped outside a... P-p-p... It's a p word. I remember Cyborg telling me. It is a p word... Glorf! It's going to bug me now. Anyway, Star was rallying her nerves on the outside of a... Recreational place with greenery and community activities, when she spotted something curious. She saw a pair of individuals doing something with small mechanical devices and a small girl playing with a scruffy, but moderately intimidating looking animal. They seemed to be content in their own business and Star had better things to do, but her curiosity got the better of her natural impulses and the Tamaranean began walking from her hesitant place outside one of the 'area's' main thoroughfares and into the large setting of green. She wanted to see what was going on. It was an admirable afterthought to the destruction she saw earlier. In fact, even in the afternoon light, each green tree and flower glowed brightly. Admiring a nearby bench and favoring the supposed comfort it would provide with restless limbs, Starfire made her way in that direction.

Star relinquished the cover of her purple cloak and gaped. There was viscera, rubble and destruction as far as the eye could see. Her mouth dropped a few centimeters in horrified astonishment, but closed, reminiscent of her years trained in combat. She was still a young girl at the time, and even though, on Tamaran, such training at a young age was awkward, she was trained regardless and saw the brutality of her own share of conflict. She didn't know who caused it, but she didn't know what was going on either. It was all one big blur that pulled through her head in a piercing array of horrifically confusing images. She could hear, feel and see so many lives puffing out their last hollow breaths and even if Starfire wanted to help, the cause already seemed lost. So, not wanting to disturb the robed individual as he rushed into a pile of rubble and cadavers, Starfire wove her way through the city pf coronet and lost herself within the vague traceries of presence given in a large crowd of fleeing civilians. _______________________________________________ A green dog rushed past Sandy followed by what looked to be a large hulking droid and a small man dressed in reds, blacks and yellows. They didn't say anything on their way, but they seemed like they were heading somewhere in particular.

Starfire saw a small commotion developing around the hospital as a robed man began to hastily make his way out. The Tamaranean paused for a few moments, wondering if he caught her eye, but his determination led him elsewhere. "Exus-bu-si-plea-aw.." Starfire mumbled, trying to follow the man with as much restraint as she could, holding her impatience at bay. His eyes never found her though. He focused on the shuttle that had already taken off and Starfire, after trailing him for a decent distance, figured there was no use in really trying to get his attention. She didn't know what it was with other humanoid lifeforms and their habitual dismissal of her presence and speech. She didn't really like it, but there was nothing she could do to help it. She was about to wander away from the site, figuring she had figured out all she would figure out through her own investigation when a large disturbance provoked a horrified response. Starfire's already wide eyes continued to widen as a huge wave of sound pummeled the base of the hospital. Through the touch of sunny radiation upon her skin, her senses were sensitive enough to pick it up, but even through a sensual acclimation to a sort of physical precognition, she was almost late when she fell to the ground and shielded herself with a nearby piece of shrapnel. For good measure, she drew her velvet purple cloak above herself just as the flames of the explosive inferno rained down from the hospital's main entrance.

Starfire, relinquished the velvety hood from around her head and gaped at the destruction. Her wide green eyes took in the smoke ridden, debris claimed and scorched territory before her. From what it looked like, standing as far as she was from the center of the carnage, it had to be a huge explosion. Glass poured like bleary raindrops in waterfalls of elegant reflective beauty cascading to the ground, forming in none too friendly mounds of gleaming shrapnel and metallic debris, that carved their passage through each wall, clung to their homes in walls and other objects as if their inanimate lives cried out for survival. The sight of it all was breathtaking... and terrifying. Gollifinar! What happened? Kory stood for a moment, smelling the air around her, feeling the radiant light of the sun beat down on her bare neck, and did her best to gather what evidence she could. She hoped it might evince some confidence in her with her discovery, but the absence of certain assurance, chilled her golden skin to the bone. She had been around explosions before and the heat in the area, the damage, the aftermath and everything else told her it was very likely, but as to what exactly had exploded, was another story entirely. She walked slowly toward the mass of debris around the epicenter of the explosion and glanced over toward two individuals as they left the hospital. She could see one of them was a great deal larger than the other and covered in slime, but Starfire hadn't the vaguest what it was. It looked like a Slorgnash, or what this planet called... A 'slug?' She debated running hastily up towards them to ask, because she didn't want to impost upon them much and it seemed they were more interested in other things anyway. Starfire turned away from them as they seemed to ignore her, and she went about her business, still trying to figure out exactly what had happened here.

Her friends had left Starfire to her own devices while they were dealing with another problem nearby. That was simple enough, considering the activity going on around the city, but even while she didn't mind too terribly much, images of the small human life-form with the avian name sent chills down her spine. She had a strange and inexplicable allure to him even though, as Tamaranean standards were, she wondered why she considered him at all. It was a strange thing on a planet she didn't even know, but she figured she would learn more as time went on. She was just about to walk around the block to what had become an extremely familiar eatery for her. The merchant of the 'dogs' seemed particularly displeased with her when she drained a few containers of what she considered harmless, but amazing yellow paste. It apparently meant the world to his business though and he would express that particular reaction anytime she walked through the door. However, a huge boom shattered the glass on the building near her and she was wrenched to the ground violently. She could feel her weapons clanging beside her and the damage that the walkway and broken glass had carved into her skin, but she was still in one piece. "Oh my Glofnard!" she said through a throat depressed against the durasteel walway. Her auburn hair was tangled under her hood and she had trouble trying to straighten it on her way back to her feet, but curiosity never left. She looked around for a few hesitated moments and began to sprint toward the disturbance. It appears to be coming from the... The Hospital? I think that is what it is called.

Starfire's majestic journey through the city of Coronet was filled with wonder and amusement. Corinth was but a sparkle on the jewel of her experience as fascinations abound before her. Her last stop was what appeared to be an average looking road side establishment where she tried the dogs of hot or the hot of dogs? She couldn't remember. The food seemed odd tasting and the meat was a little random, but the yellow substance that the stall purveyor put on it made it all worth the while. Starfire almost managed to make it away from the stall with a container of the alluring yellow substance before being caught by the manager and asked to give it back. Regretfully she obeyed and from then on she walked the streets of Coronet enjoying the beautiful lights as night finally set in and the skyscrapers lit up the evening. Her gait was fairly open and practiced and although the sun wasn't up in the air and her energy was a little off, she was happier than ever. Just when the night couldn't get any better though, a group of shady thugs that had been following her for a few blocks pushed her into an alley and up against the side of a wall. A rather large one with rippling muscles put a hand over Starfire's mouth to prevent a nearby CorSec agent from noticing, but couldn't keep it there for long before Starfire bit it and managed to wiggle out of their grasp. A few of the scrawnier thugs tried to subdue her and keep her from running, but even with decreased strength Starfire was smaller and faster than them. She managed to push through their assembly and out of the alley towards the end of the street, which was... A dead end? Oh schnoogleborf! Starfire cursed in her head as the thugs caught up with her again and this time managed to subdue her effectively, keeping her hands, mouth and legs occupied. With no respite in sight and her hope for a somewhat relaxing night gone, Starfire yelled into her gag as loud as she could, trying to draw attention or something. The thugs paid little attention though and continued carrying the girl with them as they moved into shadier parts of the city. WHifff! A few small objects flew through the air and stuck into the bodies of a few of the thugs and found strong enough marks to sedate if not wound them pretty well. The big lug carrying Starfire was left though and he ran at a full sprint toward the end of the road, or tried. With the way his run was labored, it was no wonder that a large shadowy creature caught the man off guard and sent him catapulting into a nearby building. Starfire was a little dazed from her fall to realize what had just happened, but a boy of around 17 came over to her and began slowly removing her bonds. His hands were soft and not unwelcome on her skin as he tried to be as careful as he could and when Starfire's gaze shifted to his masked face she was transfixed. The man's face was a thing of beauty never seen on Tamaran and although his eyes were masked she could see through his weak expression of stoicism and into his heart. Starfire proverbially melted in the man's arms, but tried to keep herself composed at the same time. It was very difficult. "Um-m... Th-thank you for rescuing me? Now um are you who? or... Who are you? and wh-where do you come from? And..." Starfire just drifted off, looking into his eyes and almost missed the other figure; a boy who stood a little shorter than the man Starfire was ogling, and whose skin was a bright green with loose scales. The boy looked a little taken aback himself with the beauty of Starfire radiating back towards him, but his thoughts were a little less obvious. He tried to mask his true feelings through a well planned and fitting, though awkward change of subject. "Well... This, this is Beast Boy," Robin said with cheeks so red that you'd think his head was a big cherry, "and I'm, I'm Robin, nice to meet you..." Starfire took a moment to notice Robin's hand outstretched to her then finally gave it a shake like she'd been taught and told them both her name was Starfire. It was a fairly small silence between them before either of them spoke, but it was interesting to see them together nonetheless. A few people on the street pointed at the silly looking green boy and ogled Starfire, but ultimately the three enjoyed a rather interesting and meditated silence. "Well..." Robin said, finally breaking the silence, scratching his head with nervous fingers,"BB and I are out tonight and every night patrolling the city, catching criminals that the corrupt CorSec don't seem to find. I'm beginning to think the Corellian security force doesn't even care, but its not my place to judge." BB nodded his head silently and although he had a rather quirky joke involving a judge and a sandwich on his mind, he let it slide to avoid making the situation more awkward. "Ummm..." Robin continued. "Would you like to join us on our patrol?" Starfire was once again caught in a moment of perpetual staring at Robin's face, but managed to break away when she recognized the proposal. "Oh I would like that very very much I would, yes." Starfire blurted out so quickly that Robin's head took a moment to process it. "Oh-ok, Starfire?" Robin led, taking a few steps out of the thoroughfare and onto the street, beckoning Starfire to follow, "come with us." Starfire's eyes lit up and she gladly followed the Robin for the rest of the night no matter how dangerous or threatening it was.