Nothing Lasts Forever

Four months have passed since Jordan teamed up with his mentor to defeat Slade once and for all. In less than a week, Slade escapes and has gone into hiding to plot in secret, but he will be stopped someday. Now, the sunlight shines through Starfire's window and her alarm rings loudly. She opens her eyes and smiles.

"The day has come," said Starfire cheerfully.

She jumps out of her bed and quickly walks over to her dresser. She opens it and grabs some necklaces and gifts. She then walks out of her room and heads towards the living room. She reaches the living room and enters it.

"Happy Blorthog!" exclaimed Starfire.

Instead of being excited to celebrate the Tamaranian holiday, her friends don't seem to hear her. It's probably due to Jordan's loud rap music filling the room.

"Come on, Garfield. Give me the controller," said Cyborg.

"Don't you see that I'm playing a game right now?" asked Beast Boy.

"You mean my game. I bought it," said Cyborg.

"I don't seem to care," said Beast Boy.

"I'll make you, you green elf," said Cyborg.

Starfire walks into the center of the living room, hoping to gain her friends' attention.

"My friends, today is Blorthog, the Tamaranian holiday of friendship. Who's ready to celebrate?" said Starfire.

The alien girl's friends still don't seem to care.

"I guess that I will have to try a little harder. Cyborg, my joyous friend, would you-," said Starfire.

"Not now, Star. Let me deal with this grass stain," said Cyborg.

"Grass stain? Now, I will make sure that you never get a chance to play, you robot!" exclaimed Beast Boy.

"Come here, you bastard!" exclaimed Cyborg.

As the metal man and the green shapeshifter grapple on the couch, the alien girl turns her attention to the cloaked girl.

"On this wondrous day, I wish you-," said Starfire.

"No," interrupted Raven.

"No? What do you mean?" asked Starfire.

"I just want to read," said Raven.

"But, I wanted to give you something," said Starfire.

"Maybe you can give me something if someone turns the music up a little more!" exclaimed Raven.

"I didn't hear you, Raven! Do you want me to turn it up higher! It's only at half volume!" exclaimed Jordan.

"Turn your garbage music down!" exclaimed Raven.

"You want me to turn it up! Ok!" exclaimed Jordan.

Jordan twists the volume dial and turns up the music even more.

"This is what you wanted, Raven! Do you like it!" exclaimed Jordan.

"I'm sick and tired of your games, you dick!" exclaimed Raven.

"Can't you read in your room! You're locked in there 24/7 anyways!" exclaimed Jordan.

"Maybe I wouldn't be in my room all day if someone had the courtesy to not blast their music in the morning!" exclaimed Raven.

"Do you want me to turn it up louder because I can!" exclaimed Jordan.

"That's it, you bastard! I destroy your radio with my own bare hands!" exclaimed Raven.

"Calm down, friends. There's no need to fight on Blorthog," said Starfire.

Raven doesn't listen and walks towards the leader, but accidentally knocks the necklaces out of Starfire's hands. They break once they hit the floor.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," said Raven.

"Don't worry about it. It was a mistake," said Starfire.

"What are they?" asked Raven.

"Gifts for Blorthog, a day to celebrate friendship on my home planet. I only wished that we wouldn't fight on this day," said Starfire.

"Friends always fight. It's normal," said Raven.

"Now that the gifts are ruined, what will we do to enjoy this day?" asked Starfire.

"We'll find something to do. Don't worry about it," said Raven.

"Well, we do have something to do! Somebody is robbing the museum downtown!" exclaimed Jordan.

"Is it Red Hood?" asked Beast Boy.

"No! He hasn't shown his helmet in months! It's someone different!" exclaimed Jordan.

"Then, we have no time to waste. Titans, go," said Cyborg.

"That's what I'm supposed to say!" exclaimed Jordan.

Thirty minutes pass. In the museum, a man steps through a portal and walks towards a container with an object in it.

"Not again," said a guard.

"Put your hands up!" exclaimed the other guard.

The man turns his head and sees two guns pointed at his head. He holds his hand out and somehow freezes both of the guards.

"Put your own hands up. I don't know how you would do that while you're frozen, but you will find out. I can't let you stop me. I traveled a hundred years into the past to grab this. The Clock of Eternity. Valuable in the past. Priceless in the future," said the time traveler.

Before the time traveler can grab the device, he is hit by a Claw.

"In the present, the device stays in the container and you will be stuck in prison," said Jordan.

"The Teen Titans? What a treat. I've read all about you guys in the historical archives. Now, you are all history once again," said the time traveler.

Two laser beam projectors rise from his suit and fire at the Titans. The Titans hop out of the way to avoid the blasts. Jordan uses his katana to block some of the laser beams. Starfire launches a Starbolt at him, but it is smacked away and thrown back at her. Beast Boy transforms into a lion and charges at the time traveler, but he is electrocuted by an electric gadget attachment.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," said Raven.

Raven uses her magic to throw two closets at the time traveler, but they are easily blocked and she is hit by an energy blast. Cyborg tries to hit the time traveler with his sonic cannon, but the attack is blocked by a force field. The time traveler throws a gadget at Cyborg and it attaches to his chest. The gadget drains his power cell in seconds.

"My power cell," said Cyborg.

"You can not defeat me. I'm from the future," said the time traveler.

"We'll see about that," said Jordan.

Jordan runs towards the time traveler and throws two Claws at him. The time traveler throws a shuriken-like gadget at the Claws and easily destroys them. The gadget turns back around and rockets toward Jordan and Starfire and explodes in front of them. They dodge the explosion, but they do take a little damage.

"You relics are a hundred years out of date," said the time traveler.

The time traveler walks towards the container and uses a gadget to phase through it and grab the device. He then taps the center of his suit to create a time portal to escape.

"Tata, Titans, but I have a rich future ahead of me," said the time traveler.

"No, you won't!" exclaimed Starfire.

Starfire rockets towards the time traveler and tackles him into the portal. Jordan tries to hop into the portal with them, but the portal closes before he can reach it.

"Starfire!" exclaimed Jordan.

In the realm between time and space, Starfire still holds onto the time-traveling thief.

"Get off," said the time traveler.

"You hurt my friends and ruined Blorthog. I will never let go," said Starfire.

"Get your hands off me. If you break my tech before we get to my future, we will be sent somewhere in the timeline," said the time traveler.

"I don't care," said Starfire.

Starfire grabs the center of his suit and pulls it off. The realm fades to black as the time traveler is sent to another part of the timeline.

"No, you fool!" exclaimed the time traveler.

After the realm turns completely black, Starfire falls from the sky and lands on a large amount of snow. She gets up in a few seconds and shivers because of the cold weather.

"Where am I and why is it so cold?' asked Starfire.

Starfire looks up and sees a decaying Titans Tower standing before her. Her face becomes shocked once she sees the tower in such a sorry state.

"What happened to the tower? Who did this? It must have been the time traveler. I'll see if he is in here," said Starfire.

Starfire enters the tower and slowly walks around and sees one in it. Only snow and broken parts of the tower remain in the former headquarters of the Titans.

"Friends, are you in here? Hello. Friends?" said Starfire.

Starfire receives no response and continues to walk through the tower. She reaches a door and uses her super strength to open up the old doors that once led to the living room. She walks into the room and sees that no one is there. She continues to walk until she kicks something. She looks down and sees the broken necklace from the morning a half-hour before the robbery. She picks it up and crumbles from age and rust.

"How far into the future am I?" asked Starfire.

"Twenty years," said a man.

Starfire turns around and sees a large man hiding in the shadows. She uses her Starbolt to light up the room and sees an old and broken-down version of her friend Cyborg.

"Cyborg?" asked Starfire.

"Yes, it's me. I know that I look weak and pathetic, but it's me. You haven't aged a day," said Cyborg.

"That's because I was kind of knocked out of time after I damaged his technology. I have it right here," said Starfire.

"That thief wanted to hump a hundred years into the future, but I guess you stopped him at only twenty. That's good," said Cyborg.

"Why are you in disrepair. You usually aren't in this state," said Starfire.

"A lot of stuff has changed while you have been gone," said Cyborg.

"Where are our friends?" asked Starfire.

'

"The Titans are history, Star. Your friends are no longer friends," said Cyborg.

"Impossible. You are wrong. We would never break up like this. How could terrible things like this happen? It must be that time traveler guy. I will stop him and force him to fix this," said Starfire.

"I don't think that's how it went," said Cyborg.

"You're wrong. We will fix the tower and find our friends," said Starfire.

"No can do, Star. My last power cell ran out years ago and I'm stuck in the tower. I may not be able to help physically, but I can give you some tips. They will be helpful. I know where Garfield and Raven are, but Jordan's location is unknown," said Cyborg.

"I'll find them. I promise you. Good luck, Victor," said Starfire.

.

"Stay safe out there. It's going to get colder later tonight," said Cyborg.

"The weather doesn't affect me, old friend," said Starfire.

On the other side of town, a green seal does random tricks while being watched by a couple kids. The seal transforms multiple times to spice up the performance, but the kids are cold and throw water balloons at it then walk away.

"You stink pig," said a kid.

"Maybe some water will make you smell better," said the other kid.

The two kids walk away and laugh as the green shapeshifter shifts back into its human form. It rubs its nearly bald head as it tries to wipe the water off its face. It continues to wipe its face until Starfire lands in front of his cage.

"No way. It's you. How?" said Beast Boy.

"I require your help. I need to find the time traveler to fix the past. I will free you," said Starfire.

"Please don't. This cage isn't for me to be stuck in here. It's to keep those maniacs out. After the Titans broke up, I tried the whole solo thing, but I got my ass kicked easily and now I'm here. At least I'm in the show biz," said Beast Boy.

"What happened to you?" asked Starfire.

"Things change, Star. Nothing lasts forever," said Beast Boy.

Fifteen minutes pass. Starfire slowly descends and lands in front of an old apartment. She walks up to the door and opens it. She sees her cloaked friend in a white cloak, standing in the corner of an all-white room.

"Raven, it is Starfire, your friend," said Starfire.

"No such thing," said Raven.

"I'm right here. Talk to me," said Starfire.

"Just another figment of your imagination. Just ignore it," said Raven.

"Never coming back. Go away! Go away. Just like before. Just like all the others," said Raven.

"You've snapped without your friends being there to support you. It must be lonely to stay in this room all day and not-," said Starfire.

"Go away! Just like the others! Just like the others. Just like the others," said Raven.

"Very well," said Starfire.

Starfire exits the apartment and slowly walks away. She walks through the streets of the empty city once inhabited by thousands of citizens, wondering about this dark future caused by her carelessness. She continues to walk until she is nearly hit by a laser beam.

"What's the matter? Did I come at a bad time?" asked the time traveler.

The time traveler shoots more laser beams at Starfire, but she takes flight to avoid the attack. She fires two Starbolts at the time traveler, but he blocks them with a force field. He then waves his hand and she is encased in a block of ice. She falls to the ground and the ice breaks as she lands hard on the cold road.

"Now, will you hand me my regulator? I need to return to my future," said the time traveler.

"Never. You will never get this regulator thing unless you fix what you have done to my past," said Starfire.

"Silly girl. You can't damage history because history can not be changed. I went back in time to steal the Clock of Eternity. History said that it disappeared. It disappeared because I went back to steal it. Every part of time is all written in stone, girl, and nothing you do can change that," said the time traveler.

"She may not be able to change it alone, but she will get help from an old friend," said the hero.

Starfire and the time traveler look up and see a vigilante wearing an all-black bat suit with a green bat symbol and green eyes looking down at them from a neighboring building.

"Who are you?" asked the time traveler.

"A relic from the past," said the hero.

The hero then leaps off the building and quickly glide kicks the time traveler into the alley. He then tries to throw three explosive Batarangs at the time traveler, but he blocks them with a force field.

"I guess that I'll see you another time," said the time traveler.

The vigilante tries to pounce on the time traveler, but he vanishes right before he touches him.

"It's good to see you again," said the hero.

"Jordan?" asked Starfire.

"I haven't heard that name in a long time. Just call me Batman," said Jordan.

"Batman? What happened to the original one?" asked Starfire.

"He died a few years ago. I took over the mantle after everyone else refused to. I'm just in town to visit. My turf is Gotham. How did you get here?" said Jordan.

"I kind of fell out of time," said Starfire.

"I wish that you fell out of time sooner. Maybe Jump City wouldn't be in such a sorry state, but I guess that you just can't change fate. Now, we have to send you back home," said Jordan.

"That's impossible. He said that the past can not be changed," said Starfire.

"We have done the impossible before. I think that we can do it one more time for the road," said Jordan.

Jordan pulls a Titan's communicator from his utility belt and presses the button on it, alerting the Titans of their position.

"If they come they will be there. For now, we are on our own," said Jordan.

"How will I get back home?" asked Starfire.

"I have a plan," said Jordan.

Ten minutes pass. Cyborg walks towards the living room door and prepares to open it, but Jordan and Starfire walk through.

"Jordan, you came back," said Cyborg.

"Vic, we don't have time for chit-chat. Can you use your sonic cannon to create a portal with this time regulator that we got from the time traveler that we fought twenty years ago?" said Jordan.

"Maybe. I don't know," said Cyborg.

"Let's try," said Jordan.

Jordan gives Cyborg the time regulator and he places it on his sonic cannon. He uses his sonic cannon and projects a portal on the partially broken wall.

"The portal is unstable. Hurry up and get in there and go home," said Cyborg.

"Will this future change if I go home?" asked Starfire.

"Maybe, but even if it doesn't, at least your timeline will be better than ours," said Jordan.

"Yeah, probably," said Starfire.

"Take this," said Jordan.

Jordan pulls out a USB stick and gives it to Starfire.

"Give it to my past self. He will need it," said Jordan.

"I will. What about the thief?," said Starfire.

"Don't worry about him. I will grab him. Now, go. Your friends need you," said Jordan.

Starfire walks through the portal and ends up back in the museum in the present day.

"Star, you're back already? What happened?" asked Jordan.

"I had an enlightening journey to a future. A future where we were no longer friends, but that will never happen. Especially not on Blogthor," said Starfire.

"We seriously need to talk when we get back to the tower," said Beast Boy.

"Your journey to the future would make a great book. I would love to hear that story," said Raven.

"Me too," said Cyborg.

"I guess that will be our Blogthor celebration. One giant storytime," said Jordan.

"That will be wonderful! I will provide the snacks, but before we go, I have a gift from the future for Jordan. Here you go," said Starfire.

Starfire hands the USB drive to Jordan and he inspects it.

"Who is this from?" asked Jordan.

"You from the future. He said that you will need it," said Starfire.

"Interesting. What's on it?" said Jordan.

"I don't know. I'm just the messenger," said Starfire.

"Then, I will have to find out. You don't just get gifts from the future often," said Jordan.