Disclaimer: Have you noticed that all chapter titles come from songs? Either lyrics or titles? I don't own those either. If you can guess where the name of the story came from I'll give you a cookie! Would also be impressed if you can guess each chapter title ;) That'll earn you a cookie cake!
A/N: Thank you everyone who has reviewed! I hope you keep reading and that these next parts aren't too difficult to follow. ENJOY!
Chapter Thirteen: (Re-Education)
†Batcave†
Cyborg couldn't believe where they were. This place was something of legend, a place that people only dreamed about, but never saw. It was almost like legendary myth that you couldn't be sure if it truly existed or not. Beast Boy was going to flip, that was for sure, for at that moment he and Raven stood in the middle of the Batcave. They had arrived only moments before and couldn't help at be amazed at their surroundings. The cave wasn't just a secret base or hideout, it was a literal cave, with caverns, ledges and actual bats flying over head. It was an authentic cave. Just being there seemed overwhelming. Strange artifacts such as a giant penny, a dinosaur and a giant playing card decorated the place. There was also a huge computer, highly advanced from what Cyborg could tell. Part of him wanted to go and play with it, figure out what type of system it was and how much power it had. He guessed it was better than anything they had back at the tower. The cave itself resided under Wayne Manor, which only led Cyborg to the obvious conclusion.
"You're Bruce Wayne, aren't you?" Cyborg asked the man casually.
"Nice to know that Robin at least kept his code of secrecy." Batman said, walking over to the two.
"So that would make Robin..." Raven said.
"Richard Grayson." Batman stated.
"He wasn't a very open person, kept a lot of things to himself. Why would you tell us?" Cyborg explained, though he knew it wasn't needed.
"Sometimes there are matters more important than that of identity, even I can see that, and at the moment I have more pressing issues to be concerned with. Finding Robin is the number one issue and I need you two where I can keep constant surveillance on you. Besides, Robin seemed to trust you, more than I think he realized." Batman explained, "In the meantime, I will have two rooms set up for you upstairs. You two get yourselves situated. I've got things I have to look into."
As if on cue an elderly man in a suit and bow-tie appeared, walking down the stairs. He was mostly bald and had a thin mustache.
"This is Alfred, he will show you to your rooms. If you need anything, ask him." Batman said.
"So you're leaving? Aren't we supposed to be helping you?" Raven asked.
"You will help, when your help is needed. In the meantime there is nothing that you can do."
"I thought you said you didn't have anymore leads?" Cyborg asked, suspiciously.
Neither him nor Raven liked to be left out on any details, nor did they like that they were going to be left behind again. What was the point in them being here if they weren't going to assist in finding Robin and be included every step of the way? Cyborg had a hunch that is was more so that Batman could keep them in their place, rather than so they could be of use. That seemed more likely than the man accepting help from teenagers that he barely knew. He tried to picture what Robin would do in this situation and the more he thought about it, the more he could see Robin only wanting someone's presence to make sure that they stayed out of the way. Robin didn't even like to ask for their help and they were on a team together, let alone someone that he had only recently met.
"I don't. They're more like hunches." Batman said as he got back into his car, the engine roaring to life.
The two teens turned towards Alfred, who was standing next to them, watching the car drive away.
"So, Alfred, right?" Raven asked, unsure of what to say.
"Yes, ma'am. Its a pleasure to meet you both. I can show you both to you're rooms if you'd like, unless you are hungry?" The elderly man responded in a British accent.
"Food? I'm down!" Cyborg exclaimed, more than happy with the offer. With their task of finding Robin occupying most of their time that day, they didn't have much of a chance to find lunch.
"He means: yes, please." Raven said, covering for her rude friend.
"You'll have to excuse the lack of preparation for guests. Understand, we don't get much company here." The butler apologized, leading the two teens up the stairs and into the manor above.
†Slade's Hideout†
Richard carefully opened his eyes. His head throbbed with pain as he let in as little light as possible. He laid there, trying to ignore the pain and sink back into the darkness, back into unconsciousness where his head didn't hurt so bad and his mind wasn't so jumbled. He wasn't sure why, but something about the way that he felt seemed so familiar and it made him want to curls tightly into a ball and go back to sleep.
A sudden churn in his stomach made him instantly jump up and lean over the bed as he heaved up the contents that were in his stomach. The digested bits of food and stomach content sloshed into a bucket that sat in the perfect spot next to his bed, making him assume that someone had foreseen this moment.
As he finished, he wiped his mouth as he looked around the room. His head still pounded and his stomach was still very sensitive and nauseous. His entire body felt shaky and weak. The room he was in was very small and plain, only having a few pieces of furniture. It felt wrong, yet it felt overwhelmingly familiar. It help to calm him nerves, making him think that he was alright, just disoriented. He noticed a glass of water which sat on his nightstand and carefully picked it up, carefully sipping on it to get rid of the taste in his mouth, yet cautious not to upset his stomach any more than it already was.
The metal door against the far wall suddenly opened slowly as a man with an eye patch, white hair and a white goatee stepped in carrying a a tray. On that tray was a syringe and a cup of of liquid, which the man set down on the table.
"How are you feeling?" The man asked him, grabbing the chair form the table and pulling it over to set next to the bed. Slowly, he sat down to become eye level with him.
His only response was to shake his head, still trying to make sense of the situation.
"It's good to see you finally wake up. We were worried. You've been ill for quite some time, we almost didn't think that you would make it," said the man, grabbing the cup, "I brought you a small cup of soup, you must be hungry. Its not much, I don't want to make you sick."
The white haired man gave the cup of soup to the boy, who took it and began to sip on it. The hot substance already starting to make him feel better. It was thick and felt good on his stomach.
"What do you remember?" asked the man, wanting to get information from the boy.
"Not much," the boy said, his voice coming out weak. He wasn't sure if it was from lack of use or because he had just thrown up, but he didn't like it. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Everything is just a blur...bits and peaces...I remember this place, its familiar, you are too, though I don't really remember you exactly...its confusing."
"My name is Slade," the boy's eyes widened in remembrance, nodding to that familiar name.
"I remember..."
"You probably don't remember me because when we work, I usually have on a mask, but I figured this would be an easier face to wake up to. Do you remember how you go here?"
A mask? Why would he wear a mask?
He sat there, quietly, trying to remember the things that he was asked. He couldn't.
"No." Richard admitted quietly. He couldn't remember how he had gotten here, or even where here was. All he remembered were faces and names, but not how they fit together. He looked up at the man who only smiled, or rather smirked at him. He wasn't sure if it was meant to reassure him, or perhaps the man before him was making an unspoken comment on his situation.
"You were out on a mission when you were attacked by the Titans. They captured you and took you to their leader, Batman."
"I know the names and I can remember their faces...well, sorta...they are..blurry? I remember feelings, good and bad...that doesn't seem right...it's not making any sense, something seems wrong. Nothing is making any sense/"
"Of course its wrong, Richard. Its wrong what they tried to do to you, they tried to trick you. They drugged you, trying to keep you locked up, which is what made you so sick."
What they tried to do to me?
"I remember Batman...and I remember feeling the need to leave, he was telling me something..."
"Yes, you tried to escape and he tried to keep you there, under his control," Slade encouraged the tale, grabbing the syringe.
"What's that!" Richard asked, beginning to panic at the sight. Something told him that syringes were not got, that he should be afraid. The sight of the syringe brought back bad memories of feelings and the need to escape. He remembered feeling terror.
"Its no wonder you would have that reaction after what you've been through, after having them drug you. This isn't like the drug they injected you with. This is simply a counter drug, an antidote if you were." Slade explained, "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask, I understand how confusing things must be."
"Drugs? What drugs are you talking about? What do you need to counter?"
"I told you, Batman was trying to control you. One way he tried to accomplish this was to drug you with a mind control drug."
"How did I escape?" Richard asked, looking down at his sheets, trying to make sense of everything.
"I came and rescued you of course! You're like a son to me, I couldn't just leave you there."
"So, I'm not your son right? My parents...I remember them, my mother...where are they?"
"They're dead. They were killed by one of Batman's men. They're names were Mary and John Grayson. You'r parents and I were close. Best friends. Even named me your Godfather. After they died, I took you in, raised you. Batman and his gang have always been against us. The two sides have always been rivals."
"Why?"
"It was between Batman and your parents. He's the one that killed them, you know. Tried to kill you too, but I was able to protect you. He's been after you ever since."
Richard sat there, thinking everything over. It was odd. Though he had no real, clear memories that he could put together in his head, other than a few fuzzy images, he could remember feelings and emotions that were attached to those images. He had memories of so many emotions that had occurred to him throughout his life, from the feeling of exhilaration to the feeling of total devestation. In a way, some of it made sense from the various feelings he remembered, such as the feelings of abandonment, distrust, anger and sadness, but there were still things that didn't make sense to him. He figured that was part of the drugs that he had been given. His mind was so clouded and fogged that he knew he must have been drugged at some point. He had no other choice but to go on Slade's words as he explained every doubt and emotion away. Somehow, what he was told seemed to fit, yet he still had this feeling that there was something more, perhaps something that Slade was keeping from him.
"Here," Slade said, grabbing Richard's wrist and straightening his arm, getting it ready for the injection. "Normally we would go to the infirmary to do this, but I don't want to make you get up. These injects are made to slowly counteract the drugs that they gave you, and soon you will remember things and everything will make sense again. I promise."
Richard nodded, before coming up with another question as Slade began to inject the liquid into his vein. He couldn't help but wince at the slight burn it caused.
"You called me Richard...while, that seems right, it also doesn't...I don't know how to explain it, but it feels so wrong, but I know that's my name...I'm not making any sense..."
"No, you are making perfect sense," Slade told him, "Richard is your name, you are right, but Batman and the Titans have a different name for you, Robin."
That name he remembered. The name reminded him of his mother. It was a pet name given to him and a name that made him happy. It had good, warm feelings attached to it, nothing negative that he could tell. Slade took notice of the change in Richard's facial expression, giving him a questioning look.
"My mother used to call me that. It was a pet name for me," the memory made him smile, before being replaced by confusion. "Why would they call me that if it was my mother's name for me?"
"Because they know it to be special to you. Remember, they are responsible for your parent's deaths. Its like a sick joke to something, something they can throw back in your face. They taunt you with it." Slade sighed as he put the syringe away. "Well, I think that is enough for now, you need to get some rest. You should feel better by tomorrow. I will be attending other business and so Wintergreen will be looking after you, he's a very good friend of ours. Tomorrow, I have a surprise for you, so you need to get better."
"I think I have one more question," Richard stated as Slade began to get, replacing the chair to its rightful spot in front of the table. He stopped, turned and nodded to him, encouraging him to voice his thoughts. "I know I'm not your son and I...I don't...What I mean is, what am I to you? Where do I stand?"
Slade wasn't sure if he was surprised by the question or if he should have expected it. Surely he couldn't come out and tell the kid the entire truth, that they were rivals and he was forcing and apprenticeship on him, especially after the lies he just fed to him, nor could he tell him that they were partners in crime. That would suggest that the two of them were equal and Slade would have a more difficult time giving out orders. The boy would most likely fight and resist, wanting to be treated as an equal. But bend the truth? That he could definitely do. A mixing of the two would do the best.
"You are like a student of mine, a protege if you were. I have been teaching and mentoring you for some time now. I've taught you almost everything you know, aside from certain basics which were taught to you by you're parents. I simply picked up where they were forced to leave off. I've been helping you to become the best you can be and helping you to succeed. You have great potential and I've been making sure that you meet that potential. My training is tough, but you've managed it well and you will continue to do so, even through this little bump in the road. Someday, you will carry on the legacy that I have built and will become a legend."
"What am I trying to succeed at?"
"To follow in my footsteps, make a name for yourself and make your parents proud. To become the man that they always wanted you to be. It's all you've ever wanted."
Richard could do nothing but nod as he laid back down. He couldn't argue with the explanation as he hadn't any solid memories to tell him if they were right or wrong. As Slade left, he rolled over to face the wall, trying to hide away and go back to sleep.
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