Unexpectations
By: Rielle
Disclaimer: Never have been nor never will be mine
"Hello Titans." The titans immediately turned towards the source of the voice.
"Slade." Robin said angrily.
"Hello Robin. Quite the group you have there. I almost feel like a proud father, watching you 5 from the start, growing and succeeding. Now look at you. The titans sure have grown." Slade said.
Robin scowled angrily, "Whatever you're planning, it's not going to work."
"On the contrary Robin, I'm not planning anything. Just checking up on my favorite teen." Slade said, looking at Robin.
Jericho was towards the back, so that the titans couldn't see his face. A mixture of fear, dread, and anger. Although the titans would not have found that odd, considering it was on all of their faces. But for Jericho, Slade's appearance meant more. He wasn't sure what to feel about that man. At one point in his life, he would have done anything for him and loved and looked up to him as a God. Now though, he wasn't sure. He knew that on some level, he blamed him for everything that happened. His mother and brothers death. His voice. And he also knew that on some level, he deserved the blame. But he was still his father. The same man whom he gave presents to on Christmas. The same man who loved his mother, his brother, and him. The same man who would do practically anything for his family. The same man whom he loved.
His musing were cut short by the familiar battle cry from Robin, "Titans, Go!"
Jericho was surprised to find him and the other titans surrounded by Slade bots that had appeared during his emotional musings. He silently reprimanded himself for his carelessness and letting the bots sneak up on him. Then again, they were created by his father, and its no surprise that they would be efficient at stealth, he thought.
He suddenly ducked and flipped back from the bots. Looks like he'd have to rely on the skills he learned from his father as his possession abilities were useless on machines. He quickly blocked a punch from a bot and did a round house kick, hitting its head and effectively removing it.
Robin was getting frustrated from the never ending supply of bots. Fueling his anger over more as he spotted Slade casually watching them all fight. He glared at the man angrily, diverting his attention only for a second and giving the bot he was fighting an opening. Shit, Robin thought as a mechanical fist quickly made its way to his face. Caught off guard all he could do was to move his head a little to lessen the impact. But it never came to Robin's surprise. He watched wide eyed as Jericho caught the punch and used the robots momentum to pull him forward and punch in the chest, his fist going straight through. Robin wasn't aware that Jericho had other skills than possession and was quite impressed as he watched Jericho take on another barrage of Slade bots. Weaving, flipping and punching. If he and Jericho got into a fight, he wasn't sure who would win.
The Titans fought together, the bots were no match for them, but were only an inconvenience. A persistent one.
Finally, it seemed the slade bots were lessening. Robin and the titans turned to Slade as Killowatt finished the last few bots by draining them of their energy.
"What do you want Slade?" Robin said.
"An apprentice, Robin, but a son will do just finely." Slade replied looking at Jericho.
Slades reply had thoroughly confused the titans.
"What?" Beastboy asked confused.
"Jericho." Slade stated.
Starfire glared at Slade assuming that Slade wanted Jericho as an apprentice like Robin She too had seen Jericho fight and knew that Slade would be interested in him. "Stay away from friend Jericho Slade."
"But why?" Slade said with a knowing smile, "I do after all have a right to talk to him."
Jericho stepped forward in front of the titans and started signing to Slade, "Then talk, you seem to love hearing yourself."
"Come, Jericho, why so angry? I never thought that you would join the titans. Such a gift wasted in a boy pretending to be a hero."
"Wait," Robin interrupted, "Do you two know each other?"
Slade simply smiled, or the titans figured he smiled since they could only see his eye. "Ask Joseph, or do you prefer Jericho? Anyways," he said backing up into the dark "I'll keep in touch."
And with that, Slade disappeared, leaving an angry son, a curious bird, and a confused group of super powered teens.
