Everything falls apart...
"Because you're not what I would have you be,
I blind myself to who, in truth, you are."
~Madeleine L'Engle
Titans Phantom
Chapter 19: Human for I am…
"This is Cindy Lugosi with the J.C. evening news. Tensions are running high at Titans Tower since rumor has it the Red Huntress, a world renowned ghost hunter from Amity Park, has taken up residence there. Not much is known about Red, but it appears she has it out for the suspicious ghost teen Danny Phantom, who currently isn't staying at the Tower anymore. And with the press conference coming up, Robin will have much answer to, and this is going to be one heated debate. Back to you Springer."
"Thanks Cindy, in other news DALV has recently purchased…"
The static of the news report filtered in between Cindy's words as Robin listened in with the ear piece. His defensive movements grew violent in strength as he fought the solid training post. Pressing a small button on the com. device he flipped channels.
"Honestly I'm surprised the thing hasn't been arrested yet. I swear you cry 'hero' and the Titans will let anyone in. If you ask me, Robin's lost his touch."
"Well, when you let a child protect the city…"
Robin growled under his breath and punched, he felt the reverberation all the way up to his elbow. Around him his team kept training, Starfire maneuvering destroying the target devices while avoiding their laser beams, and he noticed Raven lift three ton cylinders with her magic. He changed the channel.
"Danny Phantom is a menace. Look at his rap sheet! This ghost should be locked away like the rabid dog he is."
Beastboy kept on his treadmill, changing animals and making sure he could keep up his speed. Plus the cardio workout was good.
"Truly a scientific wonder, the possibilities the ghost could unlock. The shear power, to simply study the boy would be a revelation. Not to mention his genetic code could possibly unlock the keys to immortality. If we could only get a look at his molecular structure…"
Robin snorted, if Danny were a regular ghost he wouldn't even have a genetic code, so much for those guys knowing a lot about ectoplasmic properties. He switched the device to record all programs. He'd listen to them later when he didn't feel so disturbed.
The boy wonder turned to observe his team and his eyes fell to Valarie who was monitoring the weight device Cyborg was standing under. The thing was massive, and it kept piling on more weights. Robin figured Cy must be lifting more than a couple thousand pounds… sixteen thousand and forty-two point eight, to be exact. He instantly calculated, thank god Bruce had taught him math.
Not that he ever really needed to try, Robin had always loved the subject. Thinking of his adoptive father mellowed the teen out though, but he pushed aside the guilt and anger. Instead choosing to go help encourage his friend. After all, Robin couldn't lift that much and hey, it was pretty cool to watch his friend give it his all. He decided to ignore the Red Huntress.
"C'mon, Cyborg, push!"
The teen grunted under the strain, sweat running down his human skin. Cy glared and felt his legs begin to tremble.
"What's it look like I'm doing?"
Another weight dropped down, and Cy's shoulders dropped. Valarie placed her hand over the off switch on the device but the team who now looked on kept offering words of encouragement. Cyborg looked to his power level, he had reached his max.
"It's no good, shut it down!"
"No way Cyborg, I won't let you quit c'mon, push!"
Robin watched his friend begin to straighten up against the weight, but Cyborg could only see the hundred percent flashing before his eyes.
"I can't!"
"Yes, you can."
The next weight was about to drop, and Robin calculated everything from Cyborg's stance to the decimal attached to the next plate, he could make it.
"No, I can't!"
The weight dropped and Valarie hit the off switch, the device took all the weight off Cyborg and the teen dropped like a stone. Robin gave her a glare before he held out a hand to his friend, Beastboy walking up next to him.
"I'd give you a nine for the dive but a two for the landing."
Robin sent a glare towards him but looked back to Cyborg who was already off the ground and walking away.
The mechanical teen was halfway to his room when Robin caught up with him.
"Cyborg, what happened back there?"
"Get off my back," his voice brokered no argument and Robin felt the blame being directed to him with bulls' eye precision.
"I'm on your side, remember? I was just trying to get you to kick it up another notch."
Robin felt indignation and hurt at his friend, and he found himself measuring his breath to keep calm. Cyborg spun around and glared.
"I don't have another notch, when I say I can't, I can't!"
Robin felt rooted to the spot in shock. They never argued like this. Cy's shoulders dropped and he looked down to his metal hands.
"When I was an athlete, when I was human, I loved pushing my limits: getting stronger, faster, better. Just by trying harder than I ever had before, and my couch would always tell me to give a hundred and ten percent and I always did."
"You still can," the boy wonder whispered. Robin tried to ignore how pleading his voice sounded.
"My muscles are mechanical now, limits are built in. No matter how hard I try. One hundred percent is all I've got."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"Well, now you do."
Cyborg turned to leave, but he paused.
"And while you're at it, maybe you should step up to the plate and deal with Ms. Huntress before she goes after Danny again. We already have to replace the kitchen table. Wouldn't want to add his bookstore next."
The teen rounded the corner and left Robin in the dark hallway. The boy wonder turned and bowed his head as a cold shudder ran up his frame. God, sometimes he wished...it didn't matter. Slowly, the fifteen year old straightened up and walked back to his room.
Valarie paced the living room floor. She chanced a look at the door and found Raven floating ideally in the air, but the huntress knew better; she was watching her. It had taken two and a half hours for Robin to get her to surrender and finally stop struggling against Raven's magical barrier, watching as Danny bid them a goodbye but not before he promised to come back and check in with the Titan's leader. Val had screamed profanities for three hours then. Looking at her tracker, it still showed no signs of ecto-energy. Wherever that scum Phantom went, he was out of her range.
"You know, instead of hating him, you could try to understand him."
Valarie spun around and glared at the blue clad teen.
"Understand the ghost who ruined my life. I don't think so."
Raven snapped her book shut and leveled her a glare.
"You do not know everything. Perhaps you should not be so short sighted. After all, if we were the same as you, you would be in a prison cell right now for attacking a fellow Teen Titan."
"Maybe you should stop getting all emotional over your boyfriend," she shot back.
Raven's feet hit the ground and she stalked forward. Valarie suddenly felt out of her league.
"I am not governed by my emotions and he is not my boyfriend," the last part Raven practical hissed and Val took a step back as the books pages began to flip on their own accord.
"Raven."
The girl frozen, her violet eyes cleared, and Raven became detached once more. Robin descended the stairs and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Relax."
Valarie watched the two share a look before Raven gave a small nod, pulled up her hood and floated out of the room. Val let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
"Thanks."
Robin merely inclined his head before moving over to the kitchen counter to start the dishes. He didn't give any outward acknowledgment that he knew she was still here. Hell, he didn't even speak with her. Val suddenly felt left out and shunned. The feeling burned through her like the taunting laughs the A-listers had given after her dad had lost his job.
Hesitantly, she walked up to him and picked up the dish rag and began drying. After a few minutes she thought she saw a small relieved smile cross the boy wonder's face. Valarie got the strange feeling he was testing her. Or maybe showing her something she couldn't quite grasp. Valarie continued to dry the dishes anyways.
About thirty minutes later, a pissed off and brooding Cyborg stomped in and plunked down on the couch, logged onto the online gaming website and started kicking the crap out of some poor user whose name was Atlas. Robin paused, a pained look overcoming his face. Valarie pretended she didn't notice it and startled him when she tugged the last plate from his grip, her eyes softening slightly.
"You alright?"
"I will be."
She turned away to place the plate back in the cabinet.
The doors opened, and Valarie didn't pay it any mind until she heard the echo in the voice. Her silent sensors went off.
"What's wrong with Cyborg?"
Valarie spun around so fast she felt like the Flash, and there, leaning over the counter, was Phantom. Val reached for her gun when Robin unconsciously stepped closer to the ghost teen, blocking her aim. It felt like ice water had been dumped over her. Why had she allowed herself to forget exactly which side Robin was on? But the pained look crossed the boy's face again and suddenly Val felt her heart wrench and her hand fell down to her side. Was he really on any sides? The Huntress thought.
"He had a rough time during training this morning," Robin stated while they both watched the teen.
Cy kicked Atlas's butt, gave a grunt and started a rematch when the gamer demanded it. Danny looked over to Robin questioningly.
"And you?"
Robin froze and suddenly everything about him changed. His posture relaxed and a lazy smile crossed his lips. Danny frowned at the cover-up.
"Me? Stressed, but fine."
Danny was about to pry when he spotted Valarie over by the fridge. Almost instantly the ghost straightened, his feet left the ground and fear lit his eyes. Valarie suddenly wondered why she never noticed that. But before the ghost could disappear, Robin placed a hand on Danny's upper arm and pushed him gently back to the ground.
"She's cool."
Valarie snorted simply because it was in her nature to be stubborn. But her heart swelled, Robin had stood up for her. Danny glared back at Valarie, he was half way tempted to stick his tongue out at her, and he praised himself on his restraint. The doors opened once more and Raven, Starfire and Beastboy entered and immediately Robin was surrounded by his friends who were all worried about Cyborg. Valarie slunk closer to them and Danny made sure to stay on the other side of the team. As far away from her as possible. Because even though Robin trusted her, and he trusted Robin, no way in hell was he about to tempt fate… Plus, he might accidentally do something he'd regret, like ask Beastboy to help prank her. Danny figured that wouldn't go over too well.
Cyborg won again for the tenth consecutive round and gave a howl before he stuck out his jaw and got back to kicking Atlas's cyber robotic butt.
"Wow and I thought Raven looked grumpy," Beastboy said completely serious. Starfire clasped her hands together deeply worried.
"Our friend is more dismal than the swamp moons of Mulwok, measures must be taken," she demanded as she flew up behind the couch and gave a smile that could light the darkest room.
"To replenish your heart with warmness and cheer, I offer a traditional Tameranian folk song."
Valarie didn't understand why the two guys, the ghost, and miss black sunshine suddenly covered their ears, that is till the girl opened her mouth and started to screech.
"Gah!"
The only thing worse than Starfire's song was Cyborg's roar.
"Rah! Starfire, cut it out!"
When Cy looked back to his video game, he'd lost, and Star had to hide behind Danny in order to avoid his wrath. Beastboy tried next with his infamous keep-your-eye-on-the-cookie routine. Cyborg threw him over the couch.
"You're supposed to laugh! What do I have to do make it fly out my…Danny! A little help?"
The changeling expectantly looked up to Danny who let out a nervous breath.
"Okay…here goes nothing."
The ghost took flight and floated down in front of Cy, smiling like he didn't have a care in the world. His feet still pointing up to the ceiling. From this upside down perspective Cyborg looked like an angry gorilla.
"Um…boo?"
Danny was met with a charging sonic canon. He teleported away instantly and landed next to Robin. Valarie felt every nerve in her body stand on end. She couldn't believe it…his powers were still advancing. Rage filled her and none of the Titans even seemed to care.
"Let me try," Raven quickly interrupted, she walked up to the couch, opened her mouth…
"I don't want to talk about it."
Raven felt like a pilot from WWII, and Cyborg shooting the bombs that sent her crashing into the ocean in a fiery explosion of death.
"I tried."
Starfire re-emerged carrying what looked like purple bag pipes. A joyous smile on her face.
"Tameranian folk songs are even more cheerful when accompanied by the Gorka Pipes."
Robin thankfully cut her off.
"Uh, Starfire, maybe he just needs some time alone. Come on guys," he ordered ushering the team out of the living room.
Valarie watched as Robin and Phantom moved further down the hallway. She took a step forward preparing to go after them, only to be surrounded by the three other Titans.
"So Valarie, where are you from?" Beastboy asked. Val instantly knew he was purposefully stalling and the dangerous glint in his eyes told her not to try anything.
The hall lights were dim and both teen's feet echoed off the floor. Danny was silent next to Robin as they headed to the evidence room.
"Are you alright now? Raven gave me a brief report after I called her back."
Danny smiled at the barely contained worry in his friend's voice.
"I'm fine. I'll need your help though, but later, after Cyborg is feeling better, and Valarie isn't breathing down our backs."
Robin nodded and pressed a button opening the door. Both stepped in, and the halfa gave the leader a long look before he finally concluded that Robin wasn't going to bring it up. Danny let out an exasperated sigh and smiled.
"So, when were you gonna tell me?"
"About Cyborg? I was kinda of hoping he'd be better by now."
Robin answered turning to look over some old case files.
"I meant the press conference."
Danny watched Robin instantly straighten before looking over to him. The boy wonder hadn't known Danny would bring it up and for one terrifying moment, the teen feared he would be met with hate filled eyes.
Danny's mouth parted slightly in shock, and he took a step forward when he saw Robin's eyes flash in panic.
"Hey, it's alright. I'm not upset or anything."
Walking forward, the halfa placed a hand on the teen's shoulder and gave a small reassuring squeeze. Robin let out his breath and his shoulders relaxed.
"Sorry, just a little stressed."
"I know. That's about all you've told me."
Robin gave Danny his best bat glare that would have worked on all criminals and the Teen Titans themselves. Danny simply burst out laughing. Robin didn't know why, he should have been pissed at getting this reaction, but soon both of them were gripping their sides while trying in vain to stop the giggles.
"Dude, Robin, when you glare like that I swear some part of hell freezes over. You could make a puppy cry with that look!"
Robin smirked, "Oh and your glare doesn't? I swear when Cy told the team you yelled at him, he had nightmares for a week. And I'm pretty sure hell's flames are burning blue by now since you came to town."
Danny took a bow, and Robin felt years younger at his friend's ridiculous actions.
"Why thank you, my good sir. I do pride myself on being capable of freezing the balls off hell with my ice powers."
Robin cracked up laughing again at Danny's crassness, and he found himself trying to talk in between gasping breathes.
"Seriously…you…have…ice powers?"
Danny stood up and grinned wolfishly, "Yep." His eyes went frigid blue and he formed a miniature ghost portal. It rested on his palm and he held it out for Robin to take.
The boy wonder's eyes went wide in fascination as he held it up to the light.
"The crystal won't melt either unless it sits under the sun for a good week or so," Danny stated.
"Amazing."
Danny felt himself puff up with pride. At least he wasn't the only one who like this power. Tucker had practically been ecstatic over it till Danny accidentally froze his PDA.
"It must contain different properties. Maybe something to do with the crystallization, have you tested it formally?"
Robin felt jittery with excitement from the possibility of getting to do an experiment, and Danny tilted his head back in thought.
"You know not really but maybe…I have a Fenton ecto-moleculizer my Dad built it. It was meant to break down and analyze a ghost's ecto-powers, but all it did was give me a caffeine high. We could reconfigure it. And crap! Stop distracting me."
Robin at least had the dignity to look apologetic.
"What can I say, the disk you gave me along with yours and your parents' research is fascinating."
Danny gave him a glare.
"Because you were so paranoid this tech might be used to get ahead in the global economic and scientific worlds you made me give them to you so you could get ahead."
"A fact I'm not afraid to admit I'm proud of."
The halfa rolled his eyes, "You're doing it again."
The lighthearted mood fell, and Robin looked down before solemnly placing the sculpture on the table.
"I called the press conference," he admitted, "The world needs to know you're with us. And I'm not about to let your alleged crimes and your physiology stop you from being a Titan."
Danny's glowing green eyes softened, before he put Robin in a head lock.
"Hey! Don't you dare mess up my hair!"
The boy wonder desperately fought off Danny's arm while the halfa proceeded to do exactly that. The sonic boom and roar of the waves caught them both off guard as the Tower gave a violent shake. Both raced out of the room and met up with the team and Valarie.
"Where's Cyborg?" Robin demanded. The Tower shook once more, and Danny snapped his head around to the living room. Kicking down the automatic doors since the Tower had entered lock down mode. The living room was empty and the giant smoldering hole in the glass was still burning a hot red orange.
"Titans, move!"
The team dropped down to the shore of the Tower and was running towards their friend when a pale gray man with a rocket strapped to his back flew in front of them.
"Sorry folks, no one interrupts the master. This match is one on one between Cyborg and Atlas."
Robin threw him out of the way and kept running.
"Starfire, Raven, defensive positions, Beastboy standby."
The three nodded and took off. Robin looked over to Danny who was waiting for orders.
"The guy Cy was video gaming against was Atlas."
"Well, that escalated rather quickly," Danny replied flying up over the rocks watching Cyborg fight a giant red and gold robot.
Robin flipped onto the nearest boulder. Immediately, he began mentally tearing apart all of Atlas's weapons and defenses. Val and Danny touched down.
"Atlas is using plated weapons, destroy those and he'll only have his super strength."
"Alright."
Danny and Valarie prepared to lift off when Robin stopped them.
"No, he needs to do this by himself."
"What are you talking about? The guy is five times his size!" Valarie snapped watching as Cyborg hit the cliff wall before dropping back into the water.
"Trust me," Robin all but growled at her. Valarie gave a scathing look at Danny. Making it known that she believed this to be all his fault before standing down. He rolled his eyes. At least she hadn't tried to shoot him again. Atlas grabbed Cyborg by his shoulders, and spun him around as if he were a rag doll. When he let go, the Titan went flying up and over the Tower heading for the water.
Danny took off after him and Robin unleashed three exploding disks. The Titans all attacked, Starfire and Raven converged and a wall of black water slammed into the robot. Atlas still stood and Beastboy fell from the sky and turned into a whale. The four teens who were standing on shore smiled till the changeling started to be lifted. Atlas threw the boy back to the land and Robin caught the teen.
"Humans provide no challenge."
Atlas aimed his canon and fired five shots in rapid secession. No one had time to dodge.
Danny pulled Cyborg from the water.
"You alright?"
"I'm fine, help me to shore."
Cy felt an arm wrap around his ribcage and soon both were flying parallel to the ground. Huh, so that's what Rob meant when he described flying with Danny. Both landed on the rocks to see their friends and Valarie trapped inside five separate gold domes. Atlas standing over them smirking.
"No challenge at all."
Cy hit him in the back of the head with his sonic canon.
"Let them go."
Atlas felt amusement at hearing the growl in Cyborg's voice and once he turned and faced him, Danny flew up to Robin's dome preparing to get his friend out.
"Don't."
Danny's eyes flashed a brighter green.
"What?" He hissed his voice not above a whisper.
"Cyborg doesn't believe he can win, he needs to. He can."
Atlas fired a plasma round into Cy's canon, destroying it.
"Hold. I will defeat you but later," the red and gold robot said. Danny turned back to Robin and glared.
"I'm not putting your lives in danger."
"Yes, you will."
The other trapped teens were watching silently while Robin and Danny continued to whisper furiously at each other.
"Uh…Is Danny going to rescue us anytime soon?" Beastboy questioned, Raven shushed him.
Danny disappeared momentarily when Atlas turned to look at his prizes saying the fair fight would consist of no weapons or no friends.
"No, we finish this now!" Cyborg charged and the two started to fight.
Danny reappeared and everyone couldn't believe Robin wasn't trembling in fear at the ghost teen's glare. Instead he matched it, glare for glare.
"That sounds like a threat to me," Danny replied, throwing his arms up in exasperation.
Atlas punched Cyborg in the chest and sent him skidded backwards, stopping just short of the water.
"We'll be fine. Cy has to do this."
"He's losing."
"Then promise me you'll let him win."
"Why?"
Both teens ignored the groan of pain as Cyborg went down, hard.
Robin looked back, pleading for Danny to understand. Cyborg stood on shaky legs and took a fighting stance.
"Enough, we will finish this later."
"No."
"As you wish."
Danny swore and turned invisible right before Atlas looked back to see his five prisoners still safely trapped. He pointed his plasma ray at Robin's cell. He didn't know Danny was standing in between them, fully prepared to let loose his ghostly wail. Desperately, Robin tried to get control of the situation. Not wanting to risk Danny exposing himself.
"Cyborg, we'll be alright. Get your strength back, then get Atlas."
The team heard a boxing bell ring and the Mechanic flew over. Standing behind the hover chair, steering it. Atlas sat down like a king on his throne.
"The All Stadium at sunset. Come if you dare and I will let you have your friends back."
All of them disappeared in a flare of electricity, teleporting them away. Danny cursed and shimmered into existence, he hadn't expected to be punched in the jaw.
"Why didn't you fight?" Cyborg screamed.
The halfa got out of the new crater and glared. Tenderly fingering the bruising skin.
"I can't."
Cyborg punched him again.
"That's bull. You did pretty well last night defending yourself from Red!"
Danny started to hover off the ground and came up to his friend's eye level.
"I can't."
His words were steel and Cyborg snarled, shoving Danny aside.
"Then get out of my way."
The halfa waited till his friend was back inside the Tower before he teleported over to the stadium. It was a rundown place in the desolate part of the city. And even though the sun was still high in the sky, here everything looked like it existed only for the sunset. The building's design gave the impression it was once a part of the great Roman Empire.
And Danny had to give credit where credit was due, it looked pretty authentic. It even had hard packed dirt for the arena. Noticing the place was empty, Danny went intangible and dove into the ground where the underground tunnels and rooms were. Flying quietly he followed the thick black power lines that ran across the dust ridden, rat invested floor. Turning the corner the halfa could make out Alas proclaiming himself the winner, and the sound of online video game fighting reached his ears.
"This guy is way too competitive."
Peeking into the old locker room, Danny saw his friends' prisons all balancing on five golden trophies.
"Whoa, egotistical much."
Looking around the room, the halfa noticed the human mechanic mulling about by the oil drums. After a few minutes he disappeared, and Danny figured now would be his best chance since it didn't look like Atlas was going to get off his seat and stop playing video games anytime soon.
Valarie had to contain her snarl when Phantom appeared. Although the fact that the ghost didn't even pay her any mind also slightly stung. He was her nemesis, Phantom shouldn't go to other heroes. Especially one as pure as Robin. Valarie didn't want the Titans to fall to hers and Phantom's level. It didn't matter though, the second the ghost stopped at Robin's cage the hero looked to him as did all of the other Titans.
"Explain."
Phantom demanded and Valarie watched as Robin told the ghost about what was going on with Cyborg and then the small argument the two teens had about their safety. The Huntress was surprised, never had she seen the ghost boy truly look terrified. He was worried about leaving the team. Beastboy stopped trying to get out of his gold bubble prison and rolled his eyes.
"Dude, we'll be fine. Go kick Cy's butt into high gear and then we can all go for a veggie pizza."
All the Titans including Danny rolled their eyes.
"No one is going to get veggie," the ghost boy stated to the changeling who looked affronted.
Robin turned back to Danny.
"Sunset is in about fifteen minutes. Stay in the shadows if you're really that worried but don't engage Atlas."
The order was clear and Danny gave his friend one last glance before nodding and he disappeared instantly.
Slowly, time seemed to creep by. Being measured only by how fast Danny could imagine his heart would be beating. Finally the human Mechanic came over to the trophy cases and he raised the platform underneath them along with Danny and Atlas.
The blood colored sky now over hung them, and Robin let out a snarl as the Mechanic polished the gold on his prison.
"You can't hold us here forever."
The man looked up and waved his wrench at the teen.
"Now don't be a sore loser. Atlas is just better than you, better than all of us."
Starfire stomped her foot on the prison cell and leveled him a glare.
"Your Atlas is nothing but a zolwrap twobat plixey morwarker!"
"Yeah, what she said!" Beastboy chimed. Valarie placed her hands on her hips and gave him a disbelieving stare.
"Do you even know what she said?"
The changeling shrugged and smiled sheepishly.
"No idea, but it ain't a good thing, trust me."
The Mechanic clenched his fists in anger.
"You watch your tone. Atlas is the greatest, he deserves your respect."
Raven, who had been sitting crossed legged in her prison tilted her head to the side.
"So, do we get bathroom breaks with respect?"
Before the man could rebuttal, Atlas called him from where he sat on his throne.
"Mechanic, buff me."
The man smiled and flew up to him with his little jet pack.
"You got it, champ. Now remember that Cyborg's got a decent left hook so keep an eye out for…"
The robot turned his head one-hundred and eighty degrees to glare down at his maintenance man who was shining his back gold plated armor.
"Never tell me what to do."
Sensing he was in trouble, the man backed off. Robin watching all of his, taking it in. He gave a small smirk. This was something he could use.
"Yo, goldy locks!"
Everyone turned their attention to Cyborg as he walked in. The last drops of the sun disappearing in the sky making his armor the brightest source of light in the coliseum. He cracked his neck and shoulders never once taking his eyes of Atlas.
"Let's do this."
The video king still sitting on the throne, smirked.
"I did not think you would come. Humans scare so easily."
Cyborg let out a growl, "I'm only half human."
"Half of nothing is still nothing."
Danny let out a small growl but held his ground in front of his friend's prisons. He was starting to understand Cyborg's problem.
"Mechanic!" The man came forward and meticulously began removing the man's extra plates while Atlas paid him no mind. "I want a fair fight, so I shall willingly forgo my arsenal."
Cy had enough, "Say tool boy, while you're at it, why don't you shut off his big fat mouth."
"No one talks that way to…"
Atlas didn't give a second glance at his mechanic. He simply charged his opponent and the fight began. Robin decided now was the perfect time to start sowing the seeds of destruction. He looked over to the man who just defended his master and crossed his arms.
"You respect Atlas. Does he respect you?"
The Mechanic's back straightened and he whirled around to glare at the boy.
"Quiet, human."
Cyborg hit the stadium's chairs and smashed them to bits, he looked up in time to see Atlas racing up the stairs pulling back a fist. The team watched helplessly as Cyborg went through the coliseum's wall. The Titan pulled himself up from where he was dangling seventy feet above the ground. He charged and elbowed the man right under his jaw slamming the robot back into the hard packed dirt. Cyborg followed him down and dropped on top of him. Breaking the ground beneath them, raising up a massive cloud of dirt. Danny had a hard time not cheering along with Robin and the others. The Mechanic noticing the teens' excited cheers felt jealously burn in him. Why did they cheer so enthusiastically?
"Go Atlas, take him down!"
But the fight began to take a turn for the worst, and Cyborg began to take a beat down. Every punch and kick destroyed another part of the building and both opponents were left gasping for breath. Staring each other down from opposite sides of the field. Cy's arm flashed and looking down at his power level, he was using up to ninety-six percent. Cyborg looked up, only to throw his arms up and catch Atlas's fists in his own. It felt like his arms were being ripped clean off his shoulder blades. Cy felt his feet dig into the ground as the giant red and gold robot loomed over him. His power expenditure beeped, he was maxed out.
"It seems you have reached your limit, but Atlas has power to spare," the robot pushed, and Cy felt his joints grind together in protest. His knees hit the dirt and Atlas reared back and punched him straight into the ground. He didn't get up.
"Cyborg!"
The team was horrified, watching very slowly as Cy found the strength to push himself up on his elbows and glare at his opponent.
"No one defeats, Atlas," the robot stated viscously smirking. The humiliation Cyborg felt was only tempered by the need to free his friends.
"Fine. You win, now let my friends go."
Atlas didn't even pause to turn around when he told him no.
The Titans felt their stomachs drop out in fear, and the mechanic only felt shock at Atlas's decision.
"But…boss, you said…"
Atlas resumed sitting on his throne, smirking all the while.
"Your friends will remain as my trophies and there is nothing you can do about it."
The team felt the realization begin to set in.
"Cyborg!"
Cy flinched at Beastboy's plea.
"Please," Raven begged while Valarie and Starfire merely looked at him with slack jaws and panicked eyes.
But the hardest voice to the teen was Robin's. His best friend, who always had so much faith in him…Cy clenched his fists in the dirt and fought off the tears that threatened to fall.
"Cyborg, get up and fight! You can still win this. Please."
The flashing power display still showed one hundred percent. How could Robin believe in him, when he couldn't even believe in himself.
"No. I can't."
Danny felt those words seal all of their fates, and his friends screamed. Atlas's voice rose above them all.
"Fool, did you actually believe you could defeat Atlas? I am all robot, and you, are only human."
The Mechanic lowered himself, Atlas and the prisoners turned trophies back into the belly of the earth. Cyborg stood and didn't look as they disappeared beneath the surface.
Danny watched despairingly while his closest friends became trophies and the other was left to stumble out of the stadium on shaking legs. Beaten and broken beyond repair. A strong part of the halfa violently wanted to go and destroy Atlas, he knew he could but the other part warring within him was demanding he not break his promise to Robin. Danny looked at the ground and sighed.
"A Fenton never breaks a promise."
Now the hard part, how to get Cyborg back on his feet. Danny raised one pure white gloved arm and held it to the moon. He could only imagine the power expenditure built into his friend. After a few moments, a mischievous smile quirked his lips and a glint lit his eyes.
Atlas was back on his gaming seat pounding away at all his opponents.
"Victory! Atlas wins again, Derrick Wyatt from East Gotham City, I dominant you."
It would have been funny if Atlas wasn't actually serious. The Titans didn't pay him any attention though. Beastboy continued to slam his head up against the dome prison as a ram, then a bird and back to a ram before he collapsed on the floor exhausted.
"Give it a rest. You're starting to repeat yourself," Raven stated looking at the changeling who nodded.
"But we must discover a way out," Star said, she kicked the force field with all her strength and hoped back clutching her knee.
"Ow."
The mechanic flew over holding two big barrels of oil and glared.
"There is no way out. Now be quiet humans, Master is trying to relax."
"I am not human," Star growled. Robin took a step forward giving the Mechanic a once over.
"But you are. You should be on our side."
"I'm on the winning side. Atlas is the greatest, no one can defeat him. No one!"
"If Atlas is so great, why does he treat you like a loser?"
Valarie had to give the boy wonder credit, he was good. The group all watched doubt and denial wash over the Mechanic as Atlas demanded oil.
"Comin' right up, boss."
He gave the team a backwards glance before flying up to the robot. Val let out a growl of frustration.
"Great, that went over well. Oh and by the way, you see that ghost coming to get us out 'cause, I sure don't oh wonderful leader."
Robin shushed her and motioned for them to watch.
The sky was dark and it was hard to keep walking. Yet Cyborg couldn't feel his own legs, he only felt numb. He lost, abandoned his friends and no matter what, he couldn't get Robin's face out of his mind. He kept seeing him in the hallway of the Tower looking up at him in confusion, not understanding that Cyborg had his limits. He was a robot. A human, well half of a human and not even that. Cyborg turned to look at himself in the dusty glass of a long forgotten store.
"I failed."
"You did."
Cy hadn't even realized he'd spoken aloud until Danny answered him. The halfa walking out of the shadows, coming to stand behind him. His reflection in the smeared glass. His hands were shoved deep in his jeans pockets, his form hunched inwards to buffet the chilly wind all around them. Causing the teen to shiver, and his midnight black hair kept being tugged every which way, revealing the darkened skin on his jaw as the shafts of moonlight caught it. Cyborg looked at those ice blue eyes in the glass. But he couldn't turn around, he didn't even have it in him to be angry at the teen.
"Here to yell at me and kick my ass like last time?" It was a dead statement, and Danny didn't look away from his friend but he gave a dismissive shrug.
"No. I can't."
Okay, Cy still had it in him to get angry. He felt rage pool in his belly at the halfa's words.
"Can't, or won't?" He snapped at the raven haired teen in the glass. He watched the halfa shift on his feet and he felt his presence behind him, but when those blue eyes met his they were hard.
"I won't. You need to try again."
"I tried. I can't. I gave everything I had, one hundred percent."
Those blue eyes flashed green.
"Give more, our friends, your friends are in danger. You have to go back and you have to win."
Danny crossed his arms and glared. Cy looked at his friend in the glass, then to his own reflection, to his eyes. One human, the other an optic red.
"I can't win. Atlas is stronger, Atlas is faster, he's just a better robot."
The halfa took a step forward and his muscles uncoiled.
"But you aren't all robot. Half of you is human and that's the half that can win. Or are you really going to let your human limitations slow you down?"
Cyborg spun around to yell at Danny. To tell him his human side wasn't the problem, but he couldn't believe it. For it wasn't blue eyes he met, but glowing green.
Danny gave a cocky smile and began to hover off the ground.
"Now, will you go willingly or am I still going to need to kick your butt?"
Cyborg looked down to his arm, down to the power expenditure, to his limitations and gave a grin.
"Time to take it up a notch."
Valarie slammed her leg into the prison.
"Stupid, no good, untrustworthy ghost," she muttered under her breath. She stopped when the Mechanic rounded the corner carrying more oil with him. Atlas chugged another barrel, crushed it on his head and threw it behind him. Never once stopping his video game.
"Mechanic, more oil!"
Obediently, the man flew up to him and handed him another. Atlas took one sip and spat it right into the humans face.
"This is cold, human! Bring me warm oil."
The Mechanic shrunk back in fear till he chanced a glance at Robin who only stared at the display and rebellion flared through the Mechanic's veins.
"Get it yourself."
Atlas stood up and glared.
"What was that? No human tells Atlas what to do."
Robin and the team watched as Atlas threw the Mechanic into the far wall. Cyborg glared and stepped through the doorway.
"You sure about that? I'm human, and I'm here to tell you let my friends go."
The team cried out in joy and Valarie couldn't believe he actually came back. The Mechanic stumbled over to where the trophies were and waited in fear as the two opponents faced off against each other. They charged and Cyborg hit Atlas, sending him straight into the giant TV. Atlas countered and threw punches left and right, Cyborg dodging them, smirking the whole time until the robot landed a lucky hit and the fight took them up once more to the half destroyed arena. The fight continued and the Mechanic raised himself and the trophies up to the stadium. Robin knelt down and whispered the crippling blow.
"He doesn't respect you. He doesn't even like you. Why do you serve him?"
The Mechanic dropped his head in his hands.
"I don't have a choice. Atlas is stronger than me."
"No, he isn't. Atlas needs you, you're the one who fixes him, and you're his strength, without you he's nothing. Atlas, is afraid of you."
The Mechanic looked up to the leader, clearly floored by this revelation. Suddenly, there was another teen standing by his trophy, right next to where Robin was kneeling.
"What?! Who…"
The teen crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in annoyance.
"For the record, I can't believe you never wondered why he always pushed you around, and Robin, the next time you ask me to do a favor, please make it a simple one. Like say, I don't know, buying groceries."
Robin smirked.
"Sorry. I'll try and remember that."
The Mechanic was shocked. Clearly this Robin was the leader. Yet he treated everyone like his equal, like friends. The girl in red snorted.
"Nice to know you decided to show up."
The white haired teen rolled his eyes.
"Missed you too, Red."
Cyborg and Atlas were circling each other before the robot charged. Cy blocking every one of his punches, he aimed his fist and let it disconnect, hitting Atlas in his face causing him to stumble back and slam into the ground. Cyborg reconnected the arm as the robot sat up.
"Still got power to spare?" Cyborg practically growled out, walking up to the man.
"Plenty," he ripped out a power cord from underneath the earth and shocked the Titan. Everyone in the stadium gasped. Atlas stood up as the mechanic flew over to check on the teen.
"Mechanic, concussion blaster, heat canon, now."
The man looked over to the Titan and finally something in him snapped. He glared up at Atlas and stood his ground.
"No."
"Then stay out of my way!" Atlas shoved the human aside and ran over to his weapons panel right below where his trophies were. It opened up and suddenly Atlas wasn't sure which one to take. Cyborg began to rise and in a panic the red and gold robot reached for the mace when all of his weapons went up in a green blaze of energy, melting them down into nothing.
"What?!" Atlas backed up and suddenly there was a teen floating off the ground glaring down at him over by the trophies.
"Oops. Did you need that?" Danny asked playfully confused.
The Mechanic stood up from across the arena and watched the Robot take two steps back in fear.
"Let's see how far you get without my help." he stated before pressing the release switch on the trophies freeing every single Titan. Valarie leapt down and smiled before snapping her hood closed.
"No!" Atlas raced for the exit only to be surrounded on all sides by the teens.
"You wanted a fair fight?" Robin stated stopped in front of the robot, "that's what you're going to get."
Atlas glared down at him.
"Seven against one? That hardly seems fair."
"Oh, we're not fighting," Raven replied circling him from behind next to Beastboy who grinned a fanged grin.
"Think of us more as referees."
All of them backed away, and Cyborg took a step forward cracking his neck.
"It's just you and me."
Atlas turned and cracked his knuckles.
Cyborg threw the first punch and the second, all of them knocking back his opponent while his friends cheered. Valarie could even forget that Phantom was here. Even the Mechanic began to cheer for Cyborg.
The fight was brutal and Cy felt himself going beyond his limits. Suddenly Atlas hit the ground and jumped up bringing his two fists down so fast Cyborg could only react. He threw his arms up and took the giant fists in his hands. Atlas's entire weight was bearing down on him and his power expenditure hit one-hundred once more. Cy felt every muscle scream and suddenly he began to forget what was metal and what was real. His feet were skidding backwards and Atlas smirked.
"What's the matter? Running out of steam?"
The team held their breath before breaking out the encouragement.
"C'mon, Cyborg, push!" Robin yelled and Cy still wondered where his friend had all of this faith. Atlas let out a laugh.
"You have reached your limit, you cannot win."
Cyborg was down on one knee and all he saw in his mind was the dusty glass with Danny's human eyes and his own.
"Yes, I can!"
The power expenditure on his arm shattered, and Cyborg had never felt so human. He pushed Atlas back and lifted the robot off the ground before throwing him into the trophies. The entire back part of the stadium caved, and Atlas fell underneath it. Cyborg was left panting, his entire form shaking from exhaustion and he could hear his friends screaming his name running up to him, smiles on their faces. Cy looked to them and smiled before heading to the caved in floor and all of them looked down at Atlas, who was half way buried under the rocks. He looked up at them with pleading eyes.
"No more. I am defeated. You are a better robot."
Cyborg glared and turned away.
"No. I'm a better person."
With this the team headed out of the stadium leaving Atlas and the Mechanic behind.
"Mechanic, refit," the robot ordered exhausted. The human frowned, clicked off his belt and threw it into Atlas's hole.
"Ah, do it yourself," he said before walking away.
The team was still excited and praising Cyborg, the sunrise beginning to peek out over the horizon.
"And the winner…"Beastboy exclaimed dancing around them, "by technological knockout the mechanical maniac, the biologic bruiser the one, the only, Cyborg!" He yelled lifting up Cy's arm. The Titans cheered, and Valarie couldn't help but smile. Starfire gave him a bone crushing hug.
"I shall express my gratitude with a Tameranian folk song."
Everyone braced themselves, but Raven managed to cover the girl's mouth with her hand before looking over to her fellow Titan and letting out a rare smile.
"Way to go, champ."
Robin looked at his friend's broken power expenditure and let out a small smile.
"Guess we better get you another one of those."
Cyborg looked to his best friend. Knowing it was his way of apologizing and smiled back.
"Nah, don't need it anymore. My body may have its limitations, but if I put my mind to it, there's no limit to what I can do. Especially if my friends have faith in me."
Robin felt the knot in his chest disappear and both began to follow after the team as they headed home.
"After all, I'm only human."
The team smiled, and Danny flew up next to Cyborg having heard that, he gave a smirk.
"So does that mean you're going to be sore as the hills like a human, or only half sore? Like a half human?"
Cy felt a tick in his left eye.
"Grrr…Get back here, you stinking ghost!"
Everyone broke out laughing as Cyborg started chasing Danny around in circles, even Valarie had to admit. Phantom was…alright. Robin noticed her smile and gave her a nudge.
"So, this normally doesn't happen, but what do you think?"
Valarie laughed.
"What do I think? I think I'm just going to stick to being a bounty hunter. This drama stuff is way too much for me."
They reached the Tower in record time, and it was then they bade Valarie goodbye on the shores once she had her hover board back. Hoping on, she flipped open her eye shield and looked at the team, then to Phantom who had a nervous expression on his face.
"See you guys around. But Phantom, one step out of line and you're going down, until then, truce?" She asked.
Danny felt his eyes widen, but he couldn't help but smile even if she did still threaten him.
"Sure. Truce."
With this she nodded and flew off. The team stood on the banks in silence till Robin remembered the time.
"Crap, I'm supposed to be at the Jump City Court House in three minutes!"
Danny looked at Robin and frowned.
"The one on fifth and main?"
"Yeah…hey!"
Before Robin could even think Danny had yanked the teen forward and in a swirl of green, both of them instantly teleported into a utility closet.
"Ouch!"
"Oops. Sorry, I thought the floor plan was different."
Both of them stumbled out of the closet, right as the head district attorney and the commissioner walked up. They stared before the officer gave a serious cough.
"You're on in two. I suggest you wrap this up Robin. Mister Gonzales," the commissioner said motioning for the man with the pin stripped suit to follow.
Both walked off, leaving Danny flaming green at the situation in general, and Robin muttering darkly.
"This is worse than those rumors with Batman."
"What?"
Danny was appalled.
Robin jumped, forgetting his friend was there and now he turned beet red.
"Nothing! Let's just get this over with."
Both stepped into the court room and instantly the reporters, camera men and photographers all in the guest seats started shouting.
Valarie landed just east of Star City near the outskirts where a rundown building sat. Walking in she headed for the elevators which instantly opened. Stepping inside a red laser scanned her up and down.
"Recognized: Red Huntress. Access Level: 08ALAPHA."
The doors opened to the underground pure white facility. Scientists and guards bustled all around, along with field agents. Everyone was dressed to perfection and everywhere there was white. Valarie had long since stopped feeling out of place. She headed left took two rights, three lefts and the stairwell up before opening the glass doors to the field room. All the agents were gathered around watching multiple TV Screens all from different angles and all of the same thing. The press conference.
"Agent Red, you're late."
"Sorry, I was held up."
Valarie stated moving over to join her supervisor, Agent K.
The court room was chaos. Instead of a press conference, Robin felt as if he'd been led into a kangaroo court or the Salem witch trials. The heads of the city were on the podiums all demanding an explanation to who exactly this Danny Phantom was, and all the press and reporters were behind them, flashing their cameras and mics nearly blinding the two heroes. It was an attack from both sides, and Robin felt his patience snap.
"Enough!"
The court room went silent and Robin leveled a glare at the men in power.
"Danny Phantom has never been charged with any crimes committed against Amity Park or anywhere in the United States. And last I checked, we still live under the law of innocent until proven guilty. He is a citizen of America and a hero amongst the world of superheroes. And if such evidence should come to light of his alleged crimes it will be investigated and dealt with, but until then, he is and forever will be, protected as a member of the Teen Titans."
As the two turned to leave, one reporter with extremely brittle, pale bleach blonde hair cut in front of them.
"Cindy Lugosi, with the Jump City news. Is it true that Phantom really is dead?"
Danny took a step back when all eyes went to him. His hand twitched at his side desperately wanting to rub the back of his neck, but he resisted it.
"Um…yeah. I'm dead."
"Then you're a ghost!"
"Hey, I prefer to think of myself as an ecto-American," he snapped back. Everyone was stunned in silence and Robin couldn't get the smug grin off his face.
"C'mon, Rae's making waffles."
The entire room suddenly burst out with questions on if Danny could eat or not and other things the halfa didn't dare repeat. Swiftly he grabbed Robin's arm and the two teleported back to the Tower.
Valarie let out a growl and resisted blasting the TV with her plasma ray. The other agents didn't look particularly happy either, their smirks were now frowns. And probably etched permanently on their faces.
"This is Agent K. I need all units to place bio hazards around the four cities. We will initiate Operation Black Dawn in seventy-two hours. Out."
The Huntress felt her like she'd taken a punch to her gut. She turned to her boss and gave him a questioning look.
"Are you sure? We've been working none stop merely to contain them. After all, your tech isn't exactly up to Fenton status. Or DALV's for that matter," she stated.
Agent K glowered but didn't say anything.
"Well Red, if you would convince your boss to contract with us then we wouldn't have that problem but until then, you will return to Jump in the morning, be prepared, you know the drill."
Valarie huffed and turned away.
Over the intercom she heard Agent K give the order, "All GiW teams, move out."
Danny and Robin landed in the living room of the Tower. Both of them exhausted. All of the team had gone off to rest even though it was only mid morning. Danny let out a yawn and Robin rubbed his masked eyes tiredly.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around."
"Wait. You might as well crash here for the day. I promise you Beastboy won't dump water on your head."
Danny rolled his eyes.
"Thanks, but sleeping on the couch isn't exactly safe for me to transform back."
The boy wonder gave a small nod and indicated the halfa should follow. Danny felt apprehension at this as they wound around the hallways, past Raven and Beastboy's private living corridors until in a far hall way they stopped at a plain door. Danny raised an eyebrow, and Robin pressed the button. The door slid open and sunlight streamed into the hallway from the bay windows overlooking the ocean.
"Surprise!"
Danny accidentally flew into the ceiling he was so startled. The team grinning at him madly. It was only when he made sure they weren't going to prank him did the halfa take in the room.
"Oh my god…"
It was a room with white washed walls and sand white carpet, making the sunlight streaming in it cast the room in beautiful hues of blue and gold. The oval bed looked to die for, with its white comforter and green sheets. Danny couldn't even think.
"We thought you might like to paint it later," Beastboy said interrupting the new Titan's astonishment. Danny looked over to the kid who was shifting nervously on his feet.
"Well, what do you think? Tell me it's awesome," Cy beamed at Danny who could only nod, he couldn't locate his voice at the moment.
Robin smiled and walked in.
"The windows are one sided and the entire Tower now has a ghost shield that allows you to leave but no ghosts can get in. Not anymore, except you of course."
Danny felt his jaw drop.
"You modified the ghost shield technology?"
Robin smirked.
"A little, Cyborg and I still have a few adjustments to make. But what do you think?" He asked gesturing to the room once more and the teams smiling faces.
"What do I think?"
Danny let his two blue white rings split his body and he took a running dive onto the bed.
"You've got yourself a ghost crasher!"
The cry came out muffled from the fluff of the pillows. Danny nothing more than a speck of black hair and everyone laughed and Beastboy and Starfire joined him. The bed could still fit more but Raven left stating that she needed to meditate and Cyborg needed to get back to work. Robin figured there reasons for ditching didn't matter since the three teens sprawled across the bed were already asleep.
Cyborg closed the door to Danny's room and Robin gave another yawn.
"You should have crashed with them."
He said giving a friendly reprimand. Robin smiled at his friend's worry.
"I will. But first I need to look over a few things."
Cyborg rolled his eyes but didn't press the matter before he headed off to his room to work on the shield. Knowing that Robin wanted this place to be as safe as possible for them and for Danny.
Robin returned to his room and gave a small sigh. He knew he told Cyborg he'd work a little but…he could look over those case files while sitting in bed surely? The sunlight glowed through his bamboo blinds, casting the room in a soft dusk hue. Slowly, Robin unclasped his cape and draped it over the chair, his boots were next, followed by the gloves, and Robin debated on whether or not he should change into something more comfortable. In the end, the hero just shrugged, he'd change later. He had just sat down on the bed when his cell phone went off.
The Titan had to resist the urge to groan. Dragging himself out of bed, he walked up to his desk, picked up the device and flipped open the screen, not bothering to check the ID.
"Hello?"
"…"
"Robin."
Everything stopped and the teen couldn't believe it. Robin didn't know what to do. And suddenly, he was glad it was a secure line because he almost called his mentor by his first name.
"Batman."
AN: Read and Review