Rated T for blood, mental instability, death, adult themes, disturbing elements, and overall suspense.
Incarnate
Barely had the Tower alarms gone off than Robin was up. Rolling off his bed and onto his feet like the acrobat that he was, Robin raced from his room toward the main one, wondering who it was the Titans would take down this time. As he passed by their rooms, he shouted for them to wake up. It was just for good measure. Beast Boy was a heavy sleeper, after all, and once the Tower alarms hadn't even woken him up. Only after the other four had returned home with pizza did he leap from his slumber. That had woken him up.
As usual, Robin was the first to reach the main room and access the Tower's database system to see where in Jump City the crime was happening. Barely had he locked onto the proper security camera than his rage started to simmer. There it was. There he was.
Maybe it was the fact that he hated being woken up at three in the morning, but Robin found that his anger was practically uncontrollable as he stared at the screen for a few more seconds, wishing he could put an end to the man from here and return to bed.
He was so cruel. So powerful and cunning. So wicked. He was the antithesis of everything Robin himself strove to be, and this was why they were enemies. This was why it was Robin's single goal in life to take him down. Permanently.
Was this a hero's way? Perhaps. Though perhaps not. Slade had often said how alike the two of them were. . .
No. Taking down evil did not make him evil. Neither did cutting him down. . .making him suffer just as much as Robin himself had. . .
Robin turned away from the control panel, letting out a growl of anger. Where were the Titans, anyway? It'd been several minutes since the alarms had sounded. How could they still be sleeping with the alarms going off? Weren't they up yet; what was wrong with them? Sure, Beast Boy might still be sleeping, but Cyborg was always the second one to arrive in the main room. Then Raven and Starfire. Didn't the Titans understand that they were a team? So, then, where were they? Where was his team?
Robin rubbed his hands together to brace himself, then left the Tower with another growl still in his throat. Fine. Let the Titans stay in the Tower while he took down Slade by himself. He knew he could do it. He didn't need them. Didn't really want them either, at least not at the moment. He was fine being alone. By now he was almost used to it.
As Robin ran toward his destination, his body was already itching to do battle. He took out his bow staff and several batarangs to prepare, then continued onward, mentally steeling himself for a battle that would finally rid him of his foe. He would take down Slade. He was tired of this cat and mouse game. This time, he would become the wolf.
He would rip and tear into his prey. Then all would be over. He would win and never again have to look over his shoulder with quickening breath, wondering if the shadow behind him would materialize and become his greatest foe.
For he hated Slade. Hated him as the villain that he was. Each time a thought of the man crossed his mind, Robin loathed his incredible wit, cunning, and strength. That was all. Nothing more. He wasn't. . .he wasn't. . .
And where were the Titans?! Robin himself was already in Jump City! Were they still sleeping, or had they somehow beaten him both to the Tower's control panel and to Slade's location? Why weren't they here?
Fine. Fine! Be that way! He didn't need them! Though Robin was nearly beside himself with rage due to the fact that they weren't beside him. As they should be. But fine. He'd lay into them later. For now, he could focus all his rage and energy on the villain he was about to face. Robin knew personally that Slade could take it all and then some, giving twice as much as he got in every situation.
He liked it more this way. Facing Slade alone. Preferred it, actually. His friends would never understand. Never understand his thoughts and feelings toward the man, and how, when they were absent, Robin could relax, fully let go, and allow hatred and rage to both cloud his judgment and enhance it. Only then could he push down any distraction or doubt and fight in the single thought of bringing Slade down. Only then would he not. . .
And it was then that the Titans would appear. Robin hated it. Hated the fact that, whenever his friends were present, he couldn't fight his fullest against Slade. Couldn't demonstrate his full rage lest the Titans see and view him as less because of it. And so, unable to consume every fiber of his being with hatred, Robin's thoughts drifted. His concentrative determination faltered, and in that moment he hated the Titans even more than he hated Slade. Because didn't they know that if he was unable to focus all on his hatred of Slade that—
But this was good. This was right. He didn't need them, didn't need the Titans. Wondered where they were, yes. Was severely angry and annoyed with their shirking their responsibility as heroes. But was glad for their absence.
For in his hatred, he became strong. In his euphoria at the thought of ending the man whom he faced, he became so much more than even the Titans could understand. Then. Then, he. . .
So when Robin stopped in the middle of Jump City, his eyes and ears alert to Slade, and when he spotted the man rather quickly, he wasn't surprised by the strength with which he threw his bow staff like a spear. It neither fazed nor distracted him when Slade fluidly sidestepped the attack and Robin's staff hit the building behind Slade with such force that it shattered every single one of the building's windows.
This, with the glass raining down on him and their fighting stances identical, was the moment when he felt alive.
The two clashed, fought, then broke apart. Adrenaline spurred Robin to jump higher and fight harder. Slade easily met and beat him back blow for blow. No words were exchanged until after Robin was thoroughly exhausted.
"Such brutality, Robin. Impressive," Slade said, motioning to several now-destroyed buildings that surrounded the pair. Unfortunately all of Robin's bombs and batarangs had missed Slade. Robin cringed a bit at the man's words, but he reminded himself that it wasn't too bad. Due to the lateness of the hour, no one was inhabiting the buildings that Robin had felled. Right? What about the surrounding area, though?
Remembering his bomb's explosion, Robin's gaze briefly fell on a large piece of rubble nearby, then snapped back to Slade. No, no. He couldn't falter; nothing else was important. He couldn't let his focus wander. Because if he did— "I'm going to. . .take you down, Slade," Robin said, panting through his gritted teeth. "And this time it'll be permanent."
"Is that so?" Slade asked, and Robin hated his casual tone. "If that truly is your intention, you will need more. . .teamwork. Where is your team, Robin?"
The question caused Robin to pause, then grip his bow staff tighter. Trickery and distraction were both traits that Slade had mastered, and Robin would fall for neither. Not now. Not this time. He had to stay focused. That was the only way. . . "Doesn't matter. What do you care?"
"I care not. But you should."