When theres trouble U know who to caaaalllllll...TEEN TITANS! Hellllooooooo my loves! I am so psyched to b starting this new adventure with u! I hope ya'll enjoy the story. This is the prelude in case u were wondering. This is gonna be so exciting! Hope u enjoy it! R&R pweez :3
It was the cool air of the crisp night that drove him out of bed each morning. The ambiance of night. The orchestra of the animals and city folk. The rush. God, the rush! When your adrenaline pumps life in your veins, your heart skips a beat then accents higher and faster and faster!
And him. Robin. The titans were like his personal chew toy. He would gnaw at them until there was nothing left. But Robin was a particular challenge. He'd even managed to make him mad, he posed a threat, rather impressive for Batman's little brat. By little he meant young. The boy was a boy, not a man. Certainly no older than seventeen, not even old enough to drink.
Still, even being so young, he'd managed to escape him, nearly destroy him. He'd managed to do a lot of things. Even if the boy did not admit it, he had learned from the apprenticeship. He'd also enjoyed it a little. All he knew was good. Change that, and you can change anything.
Warp his mind even further. As he leaped in the sky into the shadows, Slade pondered exactly how'd he get this bird to wonder out of the golden cage. How'd he get him to fly in the open sky.
Warp...yes...the villain Warp might be useful. Yet...still. He needed Batman's training. He needed the death of his parents to harden his heart. No. He could not change the past. The past is what made Robin who he was, it is what has given him the qualities of an apprentice.
Still, that stubborn brain of his. How would he taint it, change it without breaking it. The thing out Robin was he wanted to try to get him to be his apprentice. Breaking him to be that would be a challenge. He wanted him to be a follower of him not a servant, he also did not want to shatter his soul. He had to be careful if he was going to do this right.
Terra was easy, far too easy for his taste. He liked the challenge. Robin was a challenge. Although the boy was a challenge and had earned a minor place of respect he was still a child in Slade's eyes. Robin often bordered on the line of intelligent boldness to stubborn pigheadedness. He'd have to fix that.
The girl, Terra, was not a challenge. Well, not until the end. He'd honestly not seen that coming. A mistake he kept making. He always underestimated his enemy. Terra was full of cracks, very easy to shatter. All he had to do was glue some pieces together in the way he wished and she was his. Robin was not like that.
He had his cracks, as everyone, not as much as Terra and not as deep, but yes he had weak points. He'd tried using his friends against him, but that was a mistake. His team were a bunch of clever brats when it came to it. They managed to do so much for their age. Impressive. Yet still, no challenge. Slade could eliminate the titans whenever he wished, but it was unnecessary and besides, he might want them later. He'd needed them when his body was stolen form him by Trigon, of course Slade hadn't expected the same incident occurring but he still might need the titans alive for other purposes. Besides, Robin wasn't ready for their deaths yet.
Slade thought of Red X. The fact robin figured he could fool him with that was rather humorous, but clever. It showed Robin's dark side. Yes, he'd do such things to get to him. This was what he wanted. Then the titans showed up and ruined it. Ah well, the inevitable will come in due time.
But a new Red X ran around the city. Sloppy and careless. Yet he had shown him a hidden skill Robin had. Robin was able to copy his movements of his enemy. He'd taken Slade's form during the Trigon incident. He'd used X's techniques when fighting Chang. Yes. He liked to learn. He craved the rush.
This was valuable information. Useful. A way Slade could warp Robin's mind. True, he messed with the teen for apprenticeship purposes but also just because he enjoyed the scowl on Robin's face. He tried hiding it with scowls and obsessions and hateful words, but Slade knew the truth. He learned from him, and liked it. He wanted to know more. He enjoyed the experience.
Not many things stood in his way of getting Robin. But there are obstacles in every challenge, else it wouldn't be a challenge. Ah...the challenge.
Of course the titans. His friends would never stop searching for him, and he knew the would eventually figure it out. robin would never give in to him knowing his friends were searching for him. If he killed them, Robin's reaction would be uncertain only not good.
Batman. As his mentor, if Robin is missing then he will search for his "son". Batman was a rather intelligent man, he would be a rather formidable adversary. But of course Slade was after an apprentice not a good fight.
Other villains might want a piece of Robin, but they'd back off if it meant death of the titans.
And of course, Robin himself. He never dreamt Robin would give in easily. His consent would be a gradual, painful process.
Slade was letting the wind take his breath. The sun was rising. Soon school would start. Very soon.
Robin didn't go to school. Looking at his former grades it seems he didn't need to. True Robin didn't go to school, but someone did.
Slade perched himself in the darkness and watched the kids mob the school. Makurami High. He noticed a blue-eyed blonde girl walk with two other unknown bystanders.
Tara Markov a.k.a Terra and Slade's apprentice. She was doing well. The changeling had nearly lost his mind chasing her. The fact he had mentioned his name to the titans would make Robin uneasy. He'd be cautious and no doubt spend many nights obsessing over his identity and motives. This was good.
He waited until the blonde girl disappeared then looked off into the distance. Titan Tower. Home of the titans. Home of Robin. Home of his soon to be apprentice.
First he'd need the bait, then the trap. Slade did so much love to birdwatch, only if the bird was Robin. Robin. The one that got away. The bird that slipped out of its cage, no..not slipped. Broke. Shattered that cage, let it fall to the ground and break then studied the pieces. Fine, two could play that game. He was going to shatter Robin's world, like he did Slade's. But this time there would be no glue to fix it. At least, not the way Robin would have it. Not in the least bit.
Meanwhile in Titan Tower...
Robin hated wasting time, thats why he got up early. No use lazing around. By he time the high school started class, Robin had already trained, ate, and was working on a project that most likely had to do with Slade.
Today was odd, his alarm didn't go off. Even if it hadn't most of the time he'd gotten up anyway due to pure habit. But he slept in. In fact, it was already nine!
Robin rose out of his bed. By this time even his friends were up and at em while their leader was lazing around in bed! He yawned. He was so tired, he felt fatigue. He hadn't even done anything yet! Arg! What happened? He hadn't done anything too exhausting. Well, except, Slade. Yeah, he was spending more and more time working on Slade. Wasting time was more like it. And as meantioned said before, Robin hates wasting time. Look what its done to him!
By the time Robin had finished getting ready for the day, his friends were already doing their regular routines. Raven reading, the guys video game battling, and Star attempting to cook.
Robin went off to the main room were his friends had already gathered. "Morning, Robin!" Starfire cheered as she flew to his side.
"Dude, you feeling okay? It's like nine and you're just now getting up?" Cyborg asked.
"I'm fine." Robin mumbled.
Raven peered up form her book. "Exactly what were you doing last night? All night?" She asked. Robin remembered staying up far to late with his Slade project, he barley remembered even going to his own bed. Had he? Had someone taken him there? No, not possible.
"Robin?" Star asked. She looked worriedly at her friend. He looked worn out, beaten. She didn't like seeing him this way.
Robin snapped back into reality. "Just a project." He said trying to escape the girls questioning eyes.
"What kind of project?" Asked Raven dryly. She knew he wasn't telling her something. What it was, she had no idea.
"Just a project okay? Stop asking, it's my life I can do what I want!" He snapped. Raven closed her book and got up. Robin sighed. "Raven, i'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"Whatever." she said and left the room. Silence.
"What was that all about?" Beast boy asked. Cy elbowed him. "Dude!" BB yelled. They went back to their usual gaming and friends arguing while Star looked at Robin with an even more worried look.
"Robin? Are you feeling of the illness?" She asked.
Robin shook his head. 'I'm fine Star." Fine. I'm not fine, he told himself. I feel angry for no reason, I feel tried, I feel like I wanna destroy something, I feel like I wanna rip someone's head off! Please, help me! but he shrugged it off and went to go apologize to Raven letting Star worry more about her friend.
Robin knocked on his goth friend's door. "Raven? Look, i'm sorry for snapping at you. Raven?" He called for her.
The door slid open just enough for Robin to see the left eye of his friend's face. "I'm sorry." He said again. The door fully opened.
"Whats going on with you?" She asked. "You're acting...different." Robin was silent. "It's him isn't it? It's Sl-"
"No!" He yelled. Raven stopped. Robin sighed, "No. Well...I don't know. Maybe." he said.
Raven looked at Robin, really looked at him. She knew more about him than the other titans combined and still it meant almost nothing. The titans shared all their secrets. Cyborg's former self, Beast Boy's old team, Starfire's royalty and family, Raven's demonic heritage...what had Robin told them about his past? Nothing.
"I know you're mad at me." Robin said. Raven looked up from the floor, she hadn't realized she went off into her own world for a moment there. "We have a link, remember?"
"Yeah, a link we wouldn't have if chasing Slade didn't make you loose all your senses." She said bitterly.
Robin looked down. "There are so many things I wanna tell you, Raven. So many things."
"Then tell me."
"I can't." He said looking back at her with a saddened expression.
Raven couldn't help it. She rarely lost her temper, but Robin was one of the few people who could just be...so...aggravating! "You can't, huh? You want to but just can't! We have shared everything with you! You know just about all out secrets! We've shared our tales willingly, to each other, and you've just kept to yourself! You continuously push yourself in the dark, push yourself away from us! You still wear a mask around us! If were friends how come you don't even trust us?" She yelled.
Robin tried reaching out for her but she pulled away. "I do trust you Raven, I trust all of you. I keep secrets for your own protection."
Raven felt like screaming. "Our own protection? The last time it was for our own protection the titans almost broke apart, Robin you almost died! You can't not tell us things because it is for out own protection! Were friends! Were in this together! We've all gone through a lot. Whatever you wen't through i'm sure was tough, but it's over. Done! Get over it, let the past die! Were the present! Let us help you!"
Robin clenched his fists. Past..die...Zucco! "I can never forgive him for what he did to them!" Robin muttered.
"Robin, you're the only one who has yet to have dealt with their past. Let us help you." Raven said.
"No..." He muttered. "I can never forgive him! Not after..." Robin looked down. He had done what he'd trained himself to do. Replace sadness with hate. Take the tears and turn them into rage. Anger, pure anger, anger he kept inside and it was getting so large it was devouring his very soul.
"After dealing with my dad, you saved me, Robin. If it weren't for you, i'd be lost. Let me save you. I feel it. I know you understand. Your anger, it's eating away at your core. It's destroying you. Robin, please. Let me-"
The alarm sounded. "Trouble!" Robin said, snapping into hero mode. He rushed off and Raven flew behind him. Don't think this is over. She said in her mind. The fact Robin didn't look her in the eye made it clear. He knew it wasn't over. It was far from over. Far, far, far from over...
In Makurami High...
By the time the titans had nearly caught the beast, the white monster disappeared yet again. They had no idea what this monster wanted or why it kept disappearing, but it had to be stopped. "Everyone, back to class! All of you! Until we sort this mess out!" The principal boomed. The walls were broken, lockers were bent, kids were freaked. Tension..so much tension...Robin felt it screaming in his head..it hurt...his skull was about to burst!
"Robin of the Teen Titans." the principal addressed him. "What happened to my school?!" He screamed. BB chimed in, "Well, you see we uh-"
"You?! My students have been complaining about you, Mr. Boy. If you're going to keep coming around here, I suggest you enroll." He jabbed a finger in Robin's chest. "As for you-"
"Sir, were doing the best we can. Rest assure that monster will be caught." He said.
"Not only that, but why aren't you in school? Young man, how old are you?" The principal asked. Wow, even the titans didn't know that. Actually it's more like even the titans didn't know that!
Robin's face stood stone strong. "I've already graduated school, sir." the Titans were shocked! Star wondered exactly hat age did humans graduate from the school, Cyborg questioned who Robin was before Robin existed, Raven figured something was amiss and Robin wasn't telling them the whole story(as usual), BB wondered if Robin had graduated high school why was he so short?
A familiar blonde girl walked by the halls a group of kids behind her. "Um, sir?"
"Why aren't you in class, young lady?!" He boomed. She pointed to the wreckage that used to be a classroom. The principal's mouth dropped. "Oh, I see."
Cyborg's eyes widened. This girl resembled her greatly. Robin saw it, her eyes. Yeah, they looked the same. Raven, oh Raven, was almost at a breaking point. But...it can't be...it just isn't possible! BB felt himself holding his breath, his heart stop, his shoulder slump, his mouth drop, his eyes widen. Terra...
BB stared wide-eyed. "Terra." He whispered.
The other titans were shocked as well. "Terra?" Robin said. The principal looked at Robin again, he cocked an eyebrow.
"What? Who?" Robin ignored him.
"Terra is that you?" He asked The blonde girl stepped back a bit.
"I don't know what your talking about. My name's Tara, not Terra." She said. "Sorry." Beast Boy came up from the rest. Tara dodged him completely and suddenly blended with he shadows. Like she had just evaporated.
With Ter-Tara gone into the shadows, there was now only a single matter to deal with. The principal. Robin sighed. He looked back at the principal. "We'll get out of your way. Rest assured the Titians are on this!" He said and the titans went off. The sound of him yelling at the teens was drowned out by cheers of glee from the others students.
"Go, Titans, go!"
"Starfire's so hot, man!"
"I love you Raven!"
"There so awesome!"
"Beast Boy is so funny!"
"Cyborg is a boss, dude!"
"Robin is my favorite!"
"We love you titans!"
Robin smiled. The first good thing today. That feeling of a suden rush, butterflies in his stomach, a light and airy feeling. A proudness swelling his heart, forming in his chest. A good feeling. The feeling he's doing something right.
Meanwhile...
Slade loved watching the titans fight. Robin, of course, was the most interesting. No powers and yet managed to lead a team of superhereos. Interesting indeed.
What secrets did the boy hide? How old was he? What was his true eye color? What of his past? Little was known about him. He was mentored by Batman in Gotham. There, thats his biography. But he must've been someone before Robin! Who is Robin?
Slade smiled under his mask. The same questions he must ask of me. Oh, what of it, he thought, i'll soon find out who this bird really is. Then, i'll clip his wings. None the less, he'll still be my apprentice.
The boy wonder leaped into the air with his friends. A smile on his face. A girl back at the school screamed above the other cheers, "You're my favorite, Robin! I love you!"
Slade chuckled to himself. He liked hearing the girls fan over the titans. Cute. Amusing. It seemed the bird enjoyed the fame a little.
"Smile all you wan't Robin...you're true nightmare is about to begin."
Back in the Tower...
Beast Boy was very uneasy. His stomach felt light, his head spun, his chest swelled. Why?
That girl. Her hair, those eyes, everything about her screamed Terra. The only thing missing was one piece. Happiness.
BB stood in Terra's old room. The starry canvas above made him feel lonelier somehow yet even so, he felt with her and then his loneliness died. Died. Killed. Slade had killed Terra, and she was never coming back. But she was back, right? He noticed the heart mirror box he'd made for her. The box was empty, BB felt another void in his soul. "Who killed your happiness, Terra?" He asked aloud.
"She's gone ya know." A dark vice had said. BB spun to see a familiar face. "She isn't coming back."
BB scowled and looked back at the box. Raven was wrong. She had to be. That was Terra! "It had to be Terra. It has to be!"
Raven looked at the box and floated to her friend. "I know it's hard to lose someone special to you, but she's gone. You're not doing yourself any favors by holding on this way." She told him.
BB stared at Raven, never had she seen a more serious look in his eyes. "Look me in the eyes and tell me that girl didn't look just like her. Look me in the eyes and tell me to just forget it and let go when i'm so close!"
Raven questioned this a moment. She had tried to save her, but she wasn't powerful enough. Terra was gone. It was the only logical answer. Raven looked at BB with her usual apathetic stare. "Forget about Terra. Let it go." Raven paused, BB seemed hurt. He stepped back a bit. "She's gone Beast Boy." Raven turned and began to leave, jus before she disappeared behind the door she turned around. "I'm..sorry." With that she was gone.
BB sat alone, only the mirror box in his hand. A heart as empty as he reflecting off darkness and nothing. Robin came through the door a few moments after Raven had disappeared. "Beast Boy, you alright?" He asked.
BB looked at the ground. "That's a dumb question." He said bitterly. Before Robin could respond BB looked up at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean..what I-"
"It's okay, Beast Boy. I understand." He told his green friend.
He understood? How cute. How completely and utterly predictable! Everyone is so sorry and they understand! How could they?
"No, you don't. You don't understand at all! How could you know what it's like to lose someone? How could you understand how it feels to know who did it but you know you'll never get your revenge? How could you possibly understand?!" BB yelled, his voice cracked at the end making him feel slightly embarrassed.
Robin's eyes saddened. I do understand BB. How can I tell you I understand your pain and that i'm here for you an that i'll do everything to help you get justice, to explain vengeance is wrong? How can I help you like Bruce helped me? Like Alfred helped Bruce? How can I help you?
"I..you're right. I don't understand your pain. But you're still my friend, Beast Boy. Just know if you need someone, i'm here for you."
Silence. Nothing but BB's back to Robin. He wanted to be alone. "I want to be alone." BB said. Oh, Beast Boy, Robin thought, I know thats exactly the opposite of what you want to be right now. Robin knew what he needed to do. Embrace his friend and tell him it's okay, tell him his troubles, share his secrets, and help him get justice. That's what he should've done. But instead he turned to the door and left. No goodbyes, no sorries. Robin knew sorry meant nothing to him at this point. He knew saying anything made it worse. So instead of speaking he left Beast Boy all alone in the dark with only his memories to comfort him into the haunting night.
Robin's "Slade Stalking" Room(Because I don't know what else to call it)...
Robin was alone. He liked working alone but at the same time he didn't. Alone meant time to think. Alone meant no one to save you from your nightmares.
He rubbed his temples. Just because BB was catching his crazy didn't mean he needed to kick in hyper drive on the Slade research. Or did it?
"Robin?" A familiar voice called him from the darkness of his mind. A dry and dark tone.
"Raven!" Robin looked up surprised at who was standing in the doorway. Normally it would be Starfire. But Raven was an odd surprise.
"You feeling alright?" She asked dryly looking at all of Robin's scattered papers, gears, and the horrid Slade mask that haunted him day and night. The lights were on and several lamps were lit.
After the whole Slade coming back in Robin's head, the haunting, Robin had never been quite right with the dark. Even though he never showed it or perhaps didn't realize it himself, the night still haunted him. That's right Robin, she thought, I hear you screaming even when you're silent. I can hear you screaming.
"I'm fine." He replied. Fine. What an understatement. It means so many things but the actual word.
Raven would've walked over to him, but something kept her form doing so. An off energy emanated from the room. It was painful to just stand in the doorway. How could Robin stand it? Was it..his own energy? No, it couldn't be, not this energy it was far to...evil. It couldn't be...right?
"Raven?" Robin called out. She hadn't realized she had zoned out. She looked up at him. Robin's energy changed, softer and kinder. The entire room felt more welcoming. The thing she suddenly feared the most came into reality. Slade was winning this battle. Even without his presence, by the mere thought, Slade was winning Robin. Yes, it was true. By the mere thought of him Robin changed. He became ruthless, cunning, dark...not himself. He was slowly being sucked into the dark, and she couldn't save him. But she had to. He'd saved her, he'd saved her many times, but he'd really saved her when she needed it most. True, the titans, her friends, helped. But truly Robin alone saved her. Now she had to call him back from the darkness.
"Robin, you need to stop this obsession." She told him bluntly. His aura changed into the darker one, although she could tell he was trying to suppress it.
"Raven, i'm not obsessed." He replied in a nonchalant tone.
Raven looked at all the newspaper articles, research material, masks, parts from the haunt, gears from the Slade bots..."Riiiiight." She said.
Robin looked around. His aura changed again. It was...confusion. As if he opened his eyes but it was too late to save himself.
"I can't have him endangering you again. Any of you. I already lost a friend to him once. I won't let it happen twice." Robin said.
With this Raven thought of Terra. There was no way she was alive. No way that girl was her. But still. And Beast Boy, poor, poor Beast Boy. Longing for her. And endangering them. Yeah, she remembered that. She remembered the pain. Yes, there was that red hot pain inside her when the probes activated, but the pain of losing her friend hurt her beyond feeling. She was not going to let it happen again. No. Not because of him. Not because of Slade.
"Why?" She asked. A look of sadness in her eyes. Robin rarely saw Raven's emotions so blunt. The Trigon incident was a rare occasion, but this was genuine concern. A sense of...hopelessness and helplessness.
"Why what?" He asked confused.
"Why do you always force all the weight on your shoulders? We're friends, aren't we? Why are we too weak to help carry your pain? Help you? Why can't we help you?" She asked. Robin looked away.
"I don't need any help."
Raven stood still. She wanted to say so many things right then, But se left. She left him in the dark. She left him wondering why was it he couldn't ask for help from a friend.
Slade's New Haunt...
Everything was going excellent. Everything was going according to plan. His current apprentice, not his prize choice, but doing well. Playing her part.
"You did well with your meeting with the titans. Very entertaining." He said.
A blonde girl with blue eyes that shimmer like moonbeams nodded. "Thank you, master. But is it wise to alert them of my presence this way?" Beast Boy, she thought, what wrongs i've done to you.
Slade turned to her. "Would you rather continue messing with the changeling? Terra, there not your friends. Not anymore. Especially after what you've done to them. No. He most likely hates you with every fiber of his being." He turned away, hoping his scar would prove most effective.
Terra held back the tears. No, it's not true. It can't be! Not him! Please! I'm sorry...I-I-I...
Her face suddenly went level with the ground. Pain. That meant one thing. Training time.
With great effort she lifted her head to see Slade's arm pushing down on her, forcing her to eat the dirt.
"Never get distracted. Never let your mind wonder away from you." He released her and then the training began.
Yes, Terra had gotten better. Could she match Slade? Robin barley managed that, so no. Could she defeat Robin? Not yet. Most likely, not ever. Not where Slade wanted him to go. But she had gotten better, yes, far better than last time.
The punches flew, the yells echoed, the world whirled pain and anger. Eventually, as normal, Terra quiet, unable to go on and completely worn out and exhausted while SLade had yet to break a sweat. Terra was done. Slade used one last finishing blow and before she hit the ground and fell to darkness she had but one thought. I'm sorry, Beast Boy. I'm so sorry!
Jump City Streets...
Robin was...well Robin didn't know what he was. Confused? Angry? Sad? Depressed? Inquisitive? What was he feeling? What was the dang feeling that made his heart hurt so much?!
Robin was letting the air whizz past him as he rode his bike. He needed to clear his head. Get his mind off Slade.
The dark. That horrid darkness that calls forth the nightmares from the beckoning shadows of death. That haunting night moonlight. The stars are nothing but dead eyes, the air nothing put a masked scent, the sky nothing but black death.
But his motorbike let him forget that. He focussed only on his bike. The slim edges, red style. The tight grip on the handle bar. Numb fingers, wind against his back. That sharp wind that hit like fire yet was so motivating. God, he loved it!
Robin had taken a nice ride, but was now in a dark part of town. Of course no way in hades was Robin going to let his city be run by criminals, but theres always a bad part of town. That's why he wasn't Robin tonight. He was a normal civilian. His dark shades still masked his face. No one would see his eyes, like always.
Still he looked almost completely different. Blue jeans, tee shirt, baggy jacket, hoodie, hair smoothed down instead of spiked up. He had only been civilian like once with the titans, that was in Tokyo.
Why would Robin want to do this? Simple. Get away from it all. Be someone else with no hero issues. Be alone, to think, no interruptions and no helping friends. ALone time. Think time. No Slade time.
Why this part of town? Easy enough. His friends would never think to look here. Nor would anyone care what a kid was doing in this part of town. He could handle any fight, but it was likely no one would give him trouble if he stayed in the right light of dark.
So normal civilian not Robin went to a bar. Ordered only water, and sat there alone and silent. One guy had tried causing trouble but a punch to the face and one nosebleed later sorted out the problems.
"Hey, kid. How old are you anyway?" The bar tender asked.
Robin stayed still.
"Whats a kid like you doin here anyway? A bar? In the middle of the night? You can't be more than fifteen!"
"I'm twenty-one." He lied.
"You know here we don't care if your twelve. As long as you got money."
Silence. "Sixteen." He whispered.
"Wha?"
"I'm sixteen." He said a bit louder, still not looking him in the eye.
The tender whistled. "Mighty young to be out here this late. Mighty young to be here anyway."
"Clearing my head."
The tender heard loud drunkards yelling, the television blaring, swearing..."Here. Clear your head in a place like this?" He wrinkled his nose.
Robin nodded.
"Son, I respect the fact you can handle yourself well. But here? Well, this place ain't for fifteen year old boys wanting to clear their heads. Try the park or somethin."
"I like the noise. Helps me think. Helps me let go."
"Let go? Ah, you and your girlfriend break up?"
"I don't have a girlfriend."
The tender was a bit silent. "Boyfriend?" Robin arched an eyebrow. The tender spoke quickly. "Not like theres anything wrong with-"
"An enemy." Robin finished, looking back down at his glass of water.
"An enemy?" The tender asked.
"Yes."
Silence. No one spoke for a while. Someone ordered a glass of beer and the tender went back to the kid who was quite interesting and mysterious.
"Whats a fifteen year old boy have to let go of? What kinda enemy you got? You in a gang?"
"No." Silence. Robin spoke again. "I need to let go of my enemy. He's gone. It's done."
The tender was quiet. "He..dead?"
"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not. None the less, I need to let go. At least for tonight." He finished.
The tender nodded. "I see. This is a great place to let go of things, especially bad memories. Might I suggest something stronger than water then?" He asked.
"No thanks."
"Good, wasn't planning on giving you anything anyway."
"Unless it was for the right prince." Robin told him.
"Smart fella, ain't cha? Get you far in life being smart. Not just IQ smart but street smart. Not may have both. Not many have either one. You seem to be one of them lucky ones who got both. What did you say your name was?" He asked.
"I didn't say." Robin reminded him.
The tender smiled. "Real smart. No, wise. Street wise. Real special. Real rare. Thats not just IQ, it can't be learned. Street smart can be learned, street wise is a talent. Natural. You go to school?"
"No."
"Shame." The tender's eyes got hazy. "No kid stays in school anymore. Would've loved to finish school, myself. Couldn't though. Family matters. This job ain't so bad. Better than being a criminal. What are you kid? You help the family?"
"Don't have one."
"Shame. This part of town, that seems far too common. No gang, no family. You a criminal?"
"No." Robin said dark and dryly. He was remaining stone cold. Stone solid.
"Bless the lord. Many turn to criminals here. Keep a good head on, nose clean, I promise you'll get someone one day. Wait n' see kid."
The bar tender went back to work. Not even ten minutes later, money was left under an empty glass of water and the fifteen year old boy was gone.
Robin was glad to be out of there. That guy asked too many questions. It was a dark alley and he was alone. Not the safest of places to be, but he could handle it. He just had to get to his bike.
"Been a while, hasn't it, Robin?" An all to familiar voice echoed in the darkness.
Robin wanted to spin around and attack. No, it's jus the dark. Not real, not real, not real, not real...NOT REAL!
"Just because you wear a disguise won't mean it ill fool me. Honestly Robin, you think that could fool me? I'll always find you. I'll always be there. In your nightmares, in your head!" It hissed.
Robin fell to the floor. "NO! Stay out of my head! Slade!" He cried out. Not real, not real, not real, please don't let this be real!
Slade whooshed down behind Robin. "Honestly now, you think telling me to go away will work? Please, Robin. I know your stronger than that. Or have you gotten sloppy while I was away?"
Robin turned and let the punches fly. Not even doing any strategy, no plan. Pointless violence. Blind fighting. Opposite of what Bruce had taught him.
Slade dodged them all with no sweat. A moment's hesitation rom Robin, catching his breath. My turn. The first punch landed on Robin's face. This caused him to fall back. The second blow landed on his gut, knocking his breath out. Then his legs felt a rush of power and the fell from under him. On the ground he was going to get up, but a blow to his chest from Slade's boot made it impossible. Struggling under him, Robin desperately tried to break free.
"Look at you, Robin," Slade said. "You squirming like a worm. I'm the bird this time. I can teach you, you don't have to be the prey. You can be a hawk. Or you can be the underling the hawks devour."
Robin kept struggling. Gotta get away, gotta get away!
Slade chuckled to himself."You honestly think you can escape me?" Slade took his boot and rammed it against Robin's head. The boy wonder's vision blurred, he felt dizzy and tired. His world began to slowly slip away. "Don't worry, little bird. It will all be over soon." The man hissed and Robin felt the darkness drag him under.