Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. This is a work of fanfiction, and I am not making any money off of this.
A/N: This ship is still my mission! It lives dang it! IT LIVES! BWAHAHAHAAA!
RHODODENDRON – The flower of warnings.
"This is lame." Beast Boy yawned plopping down on bright blue gym mat. The changeling stretched his legs out comfortably and rested back on his elbows. "I don't see why we have to get here early, and the boss man gets to be late."
"One, you're supposed to be using this time to be using this time to warm up." Cyborg informed his green friend as he lunged with a sleepy yawn. "Two, you're never here on time anyway. The only way to get your fuzzy butt here on time is to tell you be here thirty minutes before. And three," The cybernetic man listed, stopping for a sip of water. "Nobody told you to stay up all night."
"And let you crush my high score?" The changeling scoffed. "Robot, please!"
"If I remember correctly, I, currently and will always, have the high score in MegaMonkeys."
"Whatever."
Jericho pulled his legs in sitting crisscross, gently nudged the empath. Don't let me get like them.
"Believe me," Raven let a little smirk slip. "I won't."
"Ey Jericho!" Cyborg shouted. "You better tell your friend that he got his narrow backside handed to him last night."
"Narrow!" The changeling cried out outraged.
Jericho looked between the metal man and the changeling holding up his hands in surrender. I am not in this.
"He says he is not in this." Raven chimed in. She gracefully extended her legs in front of her, pointing her toes as she reached for them.
"Um, no, no…." Beast Boy stopped her. "I think the man can speak for himself."
Cyborg plucked him on the forehead.
"Dude!" The green teen shouted, flinching. "He can tell us himself!"
Jericho shrugged signing and mouthing the words for them. I'm not in this.
"Yea, I need to learn sign language." Beast Boy huffed, dropping his back to the mat.
"Finish learning English first." Cyborg muttered loud enough to be heard.
Jericho grinned, thankful his laughter was silent.
Raven smirked.
"I know words! And Sentences!" Beast Boy sulked. "I know English."
"Alright team," Robin announced entering the gym. "It's hand to hand combat day."
Starfire walked next to him carrying a large container of weapons and protective gear. She dropped the materials on the perimeter of the gym mats.
"We should be warmed up by now." Robin spoke, casting a glance to the changeling sitting on the mat. He folded his arms. "So, we are going to start with sparring to see where everyone is and what we need to work on, next we're going to continue working on escaping from various holds, we'll do some conditioning, and then end with cardio and stretching."
The team nodded.
"Jericho," Robin turned to the mute. "Do you have hand to hand combat experience?"
Jericho stood giving the masked teen a firm nod a small smirk forming on his lips.
"You're gonna spar with me first." Robin instructed. He picked up a bo staff whipping it to extend.
"Show off." Beast Boy grumbled with an eye roll. "Beat up the new guy to remind us who's in charge."
Jericho looked at the masked leader raising his eyebrows. He pointed at the container.
"Bo staff?" Robin questioned.
The tow haired teen nodded grabbing a bo staff of his own. He readied the weapon and smoothly twirled it around his fingers before stopping in a fighting position.
"Oooo," Cyborg whistled. "This is gonna be good. Had I known we were gonna have a show, I'd have brought snacks. New guy might have moves." He nudged the green teen next to him.
The other three Titans cleared off the mat as the two opponents circled each other. Jericho twirled the staff around his fingers, eyes moving up and down his opponent. Only being able to fluently communicate with one team member left Jericho with a lot of time to monitor his new teammates.
Robin was, by far, the most competitive of the Titans. Even though Cyborg and Beast Boy were louder, Robin carried more ambition in his posture, his gestures, his attitude.
Jericho knew his he expected to easily win this fight.
Robin's pride would be his downfall.
The towhead teen stepped carefully along the lines of the imaginary circle. One hand patiently twirled the bo staff, and the other held out in front of him. His palm open and fingers straight and together. Jericho was going to wait for Robin to make the first move.
He needed to, officially, see what he was up against.
He remembered his father telling him, "Your opponent's first move can tell you a lot about them. Be patient. Defend yourself while you learn their style. Wait for your window and strike."
Robin's face drew tight as he watched mute. His sneered as his fingers tightened around the staff. His foot drew back, ready to attack.
Jericho's head tilted.
Robin was aggressive. So if he could keep him going long enough, Jericho was willing to bet his new guitar that the masked teen would make a mistake eventually.
That's how he'd end this.
Robin charged at the blonde, bo staff swinging down. Jericho easily brought his staff up stopping the blow as the other Titans gasped. The masked teen held his shock as he drew his weapon back and crouching down.
With a loud exhale, Robin hopped up and unleashed a combination of attacks. Jericho blocked each easily and calmly with his staff.
"You failed to mention Jericho was a ninja." Beast Boy gapped, looking at the empath standing next to him.
Raven wanted to comment on the inaccuracy of his statement, but she couldn't find a reason to discredit his statement. Jericho told her that his father exposed him to combat training, but he failed to mention the extent of his expertise.
Jericho effortlessly continued on the defensive side as he watched the mask teen grow frustrated. When Robin struck too fair to the left and stepped too far forward, lime eyes widened.
His opening.
Tangling his staff with Robin's, Jericho knocked it from his grasp. As shock registered on the leader's face, the blonde knocked his knee out from under him. Robin fell to his back as Jericho pivoted and aimed the bo underneath the bird's chin.
"Dude!" Beast Boy cheered, clapping. "No one has ever beaten Robin!"
"Indeed, that was most impressive, Friend Jericho." Starfire floated cheerfully clapping as well.
Jericho shrugged bashfully, dropping the weapon to the mat. He reached a hand to Robin, helping him up.
"Where'd you learn to fight like that?" The masked teen questioned.
The blonde looked to Raven nodding at her.
"His father taught him as a child." The empath answered, impressed with the mute's skill. "Quite well apparently." She smiled. "Good job, Joey."
Jericho smiled, tipping an imaginary hat to her.
"Impressive." Robin admitted skeptically, rubbing the back of his neck.
Cyborg scoffed. "That boy whooped your scrawny ass." He muttered with snicker.
"What styles have you studied?" Robin questioned. "Besides Ninjutsu and Bojutsu."
Dad also taught us Karate, Boxing, and Jujitsu. Jericho listed. As you can tell, he was hopping to find a martial art I liked more than music.
"He said Karate, Boxing, and Jujitsu." Raven answered for the mute. I take it he lost that battle.
Yep. Jericho nodded.
Robin nodded, fingers curling under his chin in thought. "Alright, let's get this moving. Beast Boy," He looked to the green teen. "Starfire, you guys are up. Show us what you've got."
"You've got that look on your face." Cyborg murmured. "What's going through your head?"
Robin's eyes moved from the sparring match in front of him casting a suspicious glance at Jericho. "I can't put my finger on it Cyborg, but Jericho's fighting style," He paused, squinting with thought. "It's so familiar."
To be Continued...