6 Free

{Titan's Tower, Open POV}

"What do you mean you're not joining the Titans?" Robin questioned as he stood in front of the doorway for a guest room. He was watching Kakumei look around the large bedroom. The Saiyan had a window that overlooked the bay to the ocean, he had dark gray sheets and a black blanket with pillow for the bed. Kakumei even had a wardrobe and closet, though the Saiyan was more focused on the mirror. He was staring at himself, a blank look on his face but internally he was taking in how he looked. Of course he paid attention to how he looked while on the Watchtower dorms. However having now seen himself he began to wonder about a question that he hadn't thought about until now. 'Am i... truly free?' The Saiyan thought, then blinked when he heard the human call to him again.

"Kakumei, you alright?" Robin asked, a frown on his lips as he watched the Saiyan. Kakumei glanced back at the human and eyed the boy for a moment. He didn't know what to think of Robin, the boy looked only several years younger than him. His body was lean builded, looking as if he were made to be a sneaky little serpent. The costumed male remained where he was, arms folded over his chest as he gave Kakumei an expectant look now.

"I required a bed, not a group Terrans and a Tamaranean to become my allies", The Saiyan stated, "I do not want to fight your battles of insanity and wait for a different outcome to occur. Now leave me be, unless you have something important to say."

Robin's brows narrowed, showing that he was annoyed but he held his tongue. For a moment there was silence as the two stared at each out. The first to break the silence was the Boy Wonder, speaking with a professional tone now. "I'm curious...why did you come here rather than anywhere else?" Robin inquired.

"I was lost." Kakumei replied, then fully turned to the Boy Wonder.

"So you came to us expecting us to actually let you stay?" Robin questioned.

"That is what you humans do."

Robin went to argue but stopped himself, realizing that there is truth to Kakumei's words. True that is what Robin would have done, having to be a hero and not able to fully trust Starfire's old friend. He still expected the man to attack the moment that their guards were down. After all, he studied the CCTV cameras on his way back to the Titan's Tower. He saw what this Demon Moneky could do, he was easily stronger than Cyborg who was their muscles. He was most likely highly durable, and fast for catching bullets and crushing them with his bare hand. There was no telling what else he could do, but if Kakumei was not going to join the Titan's Robin couldn't really make him take part in any tests or training.

"Alright, if you wanted to know..", Robing relented, "Dinner's in the next hour or two. Make yourself at home, I need to make a phone call."

"You do not need to sound off your departure, I do not care for you." Kakumei replied, then watched as the Boy Wonder frowned. He then turned then left the room altogether, leaving Kakumei alone with his wolf pup companion. Speaking of whom, he was gnawing at his shoe, pulling at the shoe laces. "I will bite you if you do not stop..."

{Robin}

The Boy Wonder, and protégé of Batman was confused. He was confused because he was wondering why his mentor hadn't told him about Kakumei's arrival in Jump City. So almost immediately, he began a phone call. He needed to know why, why was he left out of the loop. He was using a small communicator that only Batman would use whenever they needed to have a private talk. Robin waited for a few moments, he continued to walk as he waited. It would be just as he stepped into his own room that Batman would answer. "Robin?" Batman asked, his same cold tone speaking through the communicator's speaker.

"Batman, did you lose track of something?" Robin questioned, then heard a sigh begin to escape the Dark Knight's lips.

"He's at Titan's Tower isn't he?"

"What gave you that idea?"

"You wouldn't be asking me that question if he wasn't."

Robin nodded, then felt his brows furrow when the Dark Knight spoke again. "Send him to the address that I'm sending you, I'll take him off of your hands." Batman ordered.

"What, why?" Robin asked.

"He's a danger to both you and your team."

"Batman he hasn't done anything to hurt us."

"Yet."

"What's got you so jumpy? What did he do when he showed up on Earth?"

"He is a wanted criminal by the Green Lantern Corps Dick, we're accommodating an intergalactic criminal who is a loose canon. I am trying to make sure that he's in a location that I could monitor him in."

"Why's you send him to Jump City?"

"We needed first responders-"

"You were going to use both me and my team...to keep him occupied?"

To that, Batman didn't respond. There was utter silence as anger began to fill Dick's thoughts. He had left Batman because he wanted to get away from his plans, outside of being used without having little to no idea why. Yet, it seemed as if that his mentor still did it even when he was far away from Gotham. Letting out a deep breathe, Robin rubbed the bridge between his nose and temple. "Bruce, for once in your life...can you not be him?" Dick questioned, and found no response from his adopted father.

There was another moment of silence before Batman responded. "Dick, he's a threat and needs to be kept watched", Batman restated, "Send him-"

"No.." Dick interrupted.

"No?"

"No, we'll watch over him while he's he", Dick said in finality, "If you want to monitor him, come see him yourself. The Titans work with the League Bruce, it doesn't mean that we work under you. I'll let you know if you're right or wrong."

"Dick-"

That was when Robin hanged up on Batman, then placed the secret communicator in his utility belt. He ran a hand through his hair before beginning to inhale and exhale slowly. Robin always wished to see Bruce Wayne, to hear him speak. He always missed the way that his adopted father acted when he first took him in. Now it just seemed like the Dark Knight remained, as if Bruce Wayne died years ago. It made him question if becoming Robin was what made Bruce Wayne die as an identity. For the secret identity of Batman was not Bruce Wayne, it wad the other way around. Batman was the real one, Bruce Wayne was the secret identity...

{Starfire}

Kori'andr was walking down the hall with a bowl of cookies. She had made them specifically for Kakumei. The Tamaranean wanted his forgiveness, she wanted to see him for who he was. She still remembered the first time that they had seen each other, the same day that she made that promise to him. That memory made her lower her head and smile sadly. She wished that she was able to make due on that promise, to have brought him along with her. It wouldn't be long before she arrived at Kakumei's door. Raising her head, she used one hand to knock on the door and waited. It would be several anxious minutes before the door slid open. It revealed a shirtless Kakumei with his wolf pup in his grasp. The canine was gnawing at Kakumei's fingers, but the Demon Monkey showed no discomfort. His scarlet irises locked onto Kori'andr's, and for a few seconds there was silence.

Right as Kori'andr was about to greet him, the door slid closed, showing that he had closed the door in her face. Blinking twice, Kori'andr felt a little disheartened. She knocked on the door once more, biting her lip as she waited for the door to open. The door slid open once more, revealing Kakumei still standing there without his shirt. "I-" Before Kori'andr could even begin with her sentence, the door slid closed once again.

The Tamaranean frowned, then began knocking with a little more effort. After her third knock, the door slid open with Kakumei having an annoyed look on his face. Her hand slapped against his chest, surprising her from how hard his muscles were. She tensed after hitting him, and retracted her hand immediately. "What do you want?" Kakumei questioned annoyed.

"Forgive me for the intrusion", Kori'andr apologized, "But I was hoping to speak with you, it has been some time since we-"

"I do not wish to speak."

Kori'andr was startled by his refusal, but deep in her mind she expected this. He had not forgiven her, and one act of kindness would not put away all that had happened to him. She gave him a pensive look and nodded her head in understanding. "If that is the case, then please take these cookies...I had made them for you." Kori'andr offered as she held out the bowel of chocolate chip cookies to him.

The Demon Monkey stared down at the bowel, then raised a brow at them. He then looked to the Tamaranean before pointing at the bowel. "What is that?" He asked rather confused.

"They are cookies....have you not had any before?"

"No."

Kori'andr's widened, realizing that he may not have been on Earth for long. She held up the bowel to him with a nervous smile, then waited for him to try one. Kakumei stared at the bowel for a few seconds, then took a cookie and ate it in an instant. Kori'andr was surprised at how fast that he ate it. Then she watched him snatch a few more within a few more seconds. It wouldn't be long before there were roughly a dozen cookies left in the bowel. The Demon Monkey's appetite was something that Kori'andr had yet to experience before. Of course she had seen him eat back on Warworld and had assumed that it was just because he was starved. But now having to see it while he had grown up, even after having possibly eaten at that restaurant?

"Did...the restaurant not feed you?" Kori'andr inquired, causing Kakumei to stop and look at her as he swallowed.

"They did, but their food was not much." the Demon Monkey replied.

"You ate all that they fed you?"

"Yes."

"Yet you are still hungry?"

"Yes."

"I...see."

Kakumei and Kori'andr stared at each other for a moment, the two old friends remaining silent. Kori'andr opened her mouth to speak, wishing to apologize to him. She didn't know what stopped her, fear, nervousness, maybe guilt. No matter how many times that she opened her mouth to speak, nothing came out. Kakumei reached forward and grabbed the Tamaranean by her mouth. "Speak, or do not...you are wasting my time." Kakumei warned as he gave her an annoyed glare now.

Kori'andr nodded, feeling his rough and callous hands gripping her cheeks. When he released her cheeks, she watched as he moved away from the door and walk towards the bag that he arrived with. It was one of Earth's military bags, and inside of it she could see his armor inside. The Demon Monkey removed it from the bag after setting down the wolf pup, then looked over his armor. As soon as he did, he took out a bat shaped device that gave off a red hue at the center of it. He looked it over for a moment, then crushed it without thinking. Kori'andr slowly entered, and glanced around the Demon Monkey's room. She was half expecting it to look like a warrior's armory. Then again, she had yet to see him have anything that he cherished dearly. When her eyes landed on him once more, she took in the many scars on his body.

The Tamaranean frowned once more, her emerald irises looking over every mark that littered his back, shoulders, and even his chest when he turned around. Kakumei stared at her now, causing her to take a step back now. The two stared at each other in silence, as if neither one knew what to say to one another. Pushing against what kept her from saying this earlier, she lowered her gaze as she spoke now. "I...am sorry...", Kori'andr uttered in a soft tone, "I am sorry that you suffered for so long, for allowing Mongul to continue to use you. I am sorry for leaving you on Warworld and having not attempted to find and free your. I am sorry for abandoning you...I...I am sorry. I feared what you would say and do had I tried to see you. I-"

"You were afraid of me." Kakumei interrupted suddenly as he narrowed his eyes on her. He began to walk to her, causing the Tamaranean to avoid eye contact with him.

"I...I am not afraid of you no longer." She uttered, but felt the Demon Monkey's hand force her to look up at him. Her emerald irises were tearing up as they locking onto his scarlet ones.

"Say so again..." Kakumei demanded, his voice growing low and dark. The two remained in silence as Kori'andr gazed into his eyes. A single tear slowly feel from her eye as she forced her head to look away from him. Kakumei released her, and watched as the Tamaranean averted her gaze from him. "Then I am not truly free then.."

Kori'andr frowned, then glanced over to find that the Demon Monkey himself was frowning. Not as if he were angry, but as if he were...disappointed.

"Leave me be...your company has become a bother now."

Kori'andr went to speak but held her tongue. She bit her bottom lip before turning to leave from Kakumei's room altogether. She wiped her eyes before she could shed another tear. She didn't know why he looked like that, was he disappointed in her or her try at trying to apologize? He had yet to show any sort of emotion, except once when she had shown him what the stars looked like once. She remembered seeing how curious his eyes held during that night. Now having seen a new face that he's made, it scarred her. She believed that he was disappointed in her...for fearing him.

{2 Hours Later, Kakumei}

The Saiyan was at the top of the roof for his current him. Seated beside him was his napping wolf pup. It seemed as if it wasted up all of it's energy trying to bite him. Despite that, the Saiyan himself was watching as the sun was setting. He found the view to be relaxing, for Warworld never had anything like this. Actually he would never have known that, he couldn't be out of his cell unleash it involved with him having a leash. Mongul would never allow him free reign, he was Warworld's main attraction after all. He wouldn't be surprised if the lord of Warworld hired bounty hunters to take him back. As he thought about that, he heard the door to the roof open. There were soft footsteps approaching him from behind, similar to Kori'andr's but much lighter.

The individual came to a stop beside him, allowing him to glance over to see who it was. It was the Terran who had an odd skin complexity, the pale skinned one who wore a cloak. Instead of acknowledging her, Kakumei stared forward. He was seated at the edge of the rooftop, his feet dangling over the side. The two stared forward, saying nothing as they watched the sun set. For a few long moments there was silence, until the girl spoke up now. "Good view." She commented, then found a grunt to be Kakumei's response.

"Dinner's ready", Raven said, "We're waiting on you to come down and eat."

"I will arrive when you are all gone." Kakumei replied.

"I'm not sure how you were taught to be around people, but when you're staring in someone else's place you tend to eat with them."

"I have been alone for most of my life, why should I care to eat amongst you or not?"

"Because we're here for you."

That response got the Saiyan to look at her, sending her curious ire that prompted her to continue.

"We may not look like it but we're family, we've been through alot together and we wouldn't to be away from one another. We came together due to a few circumstances, but it was because of that that made us stay together. A family doesn't leave one behind, not even if they turn their back against them."

"I am not one of you."

"Starfire's an alien, and I'm not entirely human, so what? It just means that you fit along with us, though I wouldn't want to be your roommate. Especially if you've a pup that isn't potty trained."

As soon as she said that, the wolf pup pissed on Kakumei's pants while it slept. The Saiyan looked down at it and frowned slightly, then looked at Raven. He found the odd Terran having turned her back and walking back to the door heading back inside. He then faced forward once again to see that the sun had gone now. He processed her words, then began rising up from where he was seated. The Saiyan made sure to grab the pup as well so that it wouldn't fall out of his lap. He walked over towards the way back inside then came to a stop when the door suddenly opened. Bumping into him was Kori'andr, who looked up at him surprised. The Saiyan stared down at her and said nothing as she stepped back. The two stared at one another in silence, waiting for one to speak.

"I... I am sorry to disappoint you", Kori'andr began to say, "That i-"

"I am not disappointed with you." Kakumei interrupted, causing her to blink twice and stare at him confused. "I am disappointed in what you see when you look upon me. Mongul wished for a warrior, a monster, a demon. He had gotten what he wished, now that is all you and others who knows of me sees. The Demon Monkey who would not hesitate to kill, to maul, to destroy. I am not free of what he has made me.."

Those words made Kori'andr widen then give Kakumei a saddened look. She reached out, placing a hand on his arm despite him flinching from her touch. "Why...why tell me this?", the Tamaranean asked, "I had thought...that you would hate me."

"I do not hate you, I despise you", the Saiyan replied, "You have lived a privileged life, a life where you did not have to worry about surviving the next day. Your visits were nothing more than a reminder of where you and I stood. You could become whatever you wished, and I could only remain behind that cage with nothing but my thoughts to occupy my time. You are a princess, one who could gain whatever you so choose. I am a former slave who knows nothing more than to fight and kill. You and I are not equals...we never have been."

Kakumei watched as Kori'andr's eyes began to tear up once more. Her head lowered as she processed his words. For the longest time, he wanted to say this, to tell her the truth about where the both of them stood with one another. No matter how many times they've spoken to one another, the two of them were far apart.

"Then...why did you still speak to me...even when you felt this way?" Kori'andr inquired, her voice trembling as she kept her head down. The Saiyan tilted his head to the side as he thought about her question.

"You are the only one who spoke to me outside of another", Kakumei answered, "The only one who taught me to speak more than Kryptonian. The one who showed me what the stars appeared to be. The one who returned regardless of your naive nature. You are the only one whom I have known to have not shown a shred of fear to me...when you had met me Kori'andr."

This made the Tamaranean look up to Kakumei with wide eyes. She opened to speak, but found no words to say. She simply stared up at his scarlet irises, with her emerald ones. It wouldn't be long before she did something that Kakumei was unaccustomed to. She wrapped her arms around him and held him there. The Saiyan was half expected her to try and give him a bear hug, that had happened to him in the past. Instead she was just holding him, it made him stare down at her confused more than anything. Even as she let out a sigh of relief, he didn't understand what she was doing. When she released him, she stared up at him, wiping her tears away to give him a beaming smile. The Saiyan had yet to see her smile like that in several years.

"What did you do?" The Saiyan questioned, and found Kori'andr let out a slight giggle.

"I hugged you, it is a Terran custom to do that when you are happy with someone." Kori'andr explained, then found a grunt being Kakumei's response. The Tamaranean and the Saiyan stared at each in silence before Kori'andr spoke up to end their silence. "We should return inside, everyone is waiting for you."

"I am not joining your escapades." Kakumei suddenly said.

"But I never-"

"I require a bathe."

Kori'andr frowned, then her nose wrinkled after finally catching the smell that was radiating off of her Saiyan friend. "Right, I shall guide you if you allow me to." The Tamaranean offered, and found Kakumei grunt at her.

She turned, and began walking back inside to guide him to the showers. As she did, a thought came to her mind as she walked. "Are we...friends?" She suddenly asked, and awaited Kakumei's answer.

The Saiyan raised a brow at her, unsure as to why she would ask him that. "No", he answered, "You will have to earn such a title from me Kori'andr."

"Then I will strive to become your friend Kakumei."