Chapter 28: Nemesis Robin threw a disk at the camera opposite from him, causing it to burst in an explosion. He turned around, throwing disks now at the fluorescent lights above him, leaving part of the station in darkness.
If someone would watch him from across the railway, he would think that his only goal was to destroy public property – to vent his unknown anger.
But Robin was here for a purpose and as he attacked the bench by the wall, the purpose only intensified. And he feared it.
The former leader straightened up and turned towards the railway as a light breeze blew through the station. His face felt cool as the incoming wind brushed across the sweaty surface. Why was he so…stressed?
He didn't even put any effort in destroying the subway, so it was strange that he was already sweating like he had been undergoing vigorous training.
He stepped closer to the edge, the wind blowing stronger on his face and he closed his eyes. Sometimes he wished he was dreaming, wanting to be still asleep in the tower after they had saved Tamaran and Earth from the alien invasion.
Ever since Starfire had defeated Blackfire, things…seemed to go downhill – especially for him.
He was the glue that kept their team together.
The train drove into the station, blocking his view. The doors slid open and people filed out. Robin made no move as he watched people of different gender, age and height passing him.
Some of them gave him a confused look as to why he wouldn't enter and others gasped in shock or murmured about why part of the station was left in destruction. And it seemed that he was still the city's hero.
But then his eyes rested on a little 7-year old girl with dark hair. She trudged slowly behind her mother but when she saw Robin still unmoving and watching her, her eyes widened slightly with fear and she clutched her mother's dress before turning her face away from him and she was eager to get away from this creepy person as fast as possible.
And he knew that the longer he stayed with Slade, the faster this status was disintegrating. The train moved again and Robin watched his reflection on the moving windows – a villain in a hero's mask.
But his intentions told him that he was a hero in a villain's mask. After all, he was the glue that kept the city from falling apart by the crime that runs through it.
The train finally left the station at high speed, causing the cool wind to return again temporarily.
But as he stared at the determined, serious expression on each of his former teammates standing on the other side of the railway…he realized that he was now the crowbar that slowly pried their team apart. His eyes rested on Beast Boy's broken arm. It was…3 and a half against him. He should be able to take them on without much problem.
But he waited for orders, his eyes studying each of them carefully.
"You are not a hero."
Raven's words surprised the apprentice. But his face didn't lose their composure.
"When you fight heroes…you are nothing more than a villain."
His eyes narrowed angrily. How could they think of him like this?
How could they readily believe that he had changed sides – even worse, to Slade's side?
"And who made you 'heroes'?" Robin replied disappointed.
"It is not important who made you what you are, but what you do once you have realized yourself," Starfire said and smiled at him.
Confusion struck his face.
But he knew what he was doing – he knew what sacrifices he had to make when being the 'hero'. "And I know what I'm doing," he replied, his voice sounding almost cold in his ears.
"I don't think so," Cyborg said this time.
"It's because you don't know," Robin said, his eyes downcast.
A short silence.
"Then tell us…what it means to be a hero! Tell us why you still stay as Slade's apprentice," Raven said, staring determinedly at the teen across from her.
Robin turned to look at her. Even if he told them…there was nothing they could do. He was already too far for him to turn back.
The earpiece crackled to life and Slade's voice brought him one step closer to him. "Begin the last phase, my apprentice!"
Robin pulled out a bird-a rang, alarming the 4 heroes on the other side. "You're too late," he said and threw it at them before they scattered. Cyborg's arm turned into a cannon and he fired it across from him but Robin saw the incoming beam and jumped away.
Robin found himself face to face with a certain half-demon and he slammed his fist against her which was blocked with a black shield. He jumped back to evade a flying bench and fired a smoke ball. Taken by surprise, Raven felt a metal boot slam against her chest, sending her flying against the wall. But suddenly he was hit by a green starbolt, causing him to plummet out of the smoke. Robin managed to clumsily land on his feet before seeing Starfire charging out of the smoke, firing another starbolt.
He managed to jump away and fired a disk that she let pass but was thrown forward when it exploded right behind her. Robin advanced her when he noticed another bench flying across from the station. He ducked in the last second before firing his grappling hook, tying itself around the foot of the large green gorilla before he was replaced by Beast Boy. The string quickly pulled him forward and Robin took out his staff, deciding to send the changeling flying back once he came close enough.
Unfortunately, he forgot about the half-robot who fired his cannon and Robin jumped back, causing the wire to break as the beam shot through it. Beast Boy plummeted onto the rails.
A familiar breeze ventilated the station and the ex-leader looked at his former teammate who turned to look into the tunnel, still sprawled onto his stomach.
Suddenly Robin got slammed by a vending machine, sending him against the wall and he flinched from the pain as Raven floated up to him.
Her glowing hands shot up before a yellow light filled the station and Robin and Raven watched as Beast Boy stared in horror at the approaching train that was about to flatten him.
"Beast Boy!"
Robin stared in shock. He just hoped that Slade didn't hear the worry in his voice as he called out to his former friend. "Now use the bait," Slade's voice muttered in his ear.
But what about Beast Boy?
Robin managed to stand up and stepped forward before he saw that a robotic hand took hold of Beast Boy's broken arm and retracted, pulling the surprised changeling away just as the train rushed by.
"Thanks, Cy!" the changeling grinned.
"Could you tell me…why you are not crying or flinching or even complaining that I pulled you too hard? I mean, I pulled you on your broken arm."
Beast smiled nervously at his best friend. "Oh, that. Well…I guess…my arm healed faster than I thought."
"And why didn't you tell us? Don't tell me you thought it would still hurt," Cyborg said dangerously, causing Beast Boy to fidget even more nervously.
"You know…you've been treating me really nicely the last 2 days since I didn't need to do most of the chores and I finally managed to beat my high score…so I thought maybe I could keep this up for a bit longer," Beast Boy muttered meekly, causing 3 pairs of eyes to glare deadly in his direction. Movement from across the rails brought them back to more pressing matters.
Starfire, having recovered from the explosion fired another starbolt at her former boyfriend but Robin countered with an explosive disk, nullifying their attacks. The ex-leader jumped out of the way of a rocket that was shot by Cyborg and latched onto the still moving train.
"Don't let him get away!" Raven called and they followed Slade's apprentice into the dark tunnel. They got onto the roof of the train and saw the retreating back of their former leader in the dim fluorescent lights that kept flashing at intervals due to the train's movement.
They followed him and suddenly he turned around, sending a disk flying their way and Raven's shield shot out to protect them. But instead of exploding, a white light filled the tunnel and the 4 heroes shielded their eyes before Raven managed to encase them in a dark ball, easing their assaulted eyes.
Robin's silhouette moved to show him jumping off the roof as the train moved into the next station. The titans followed his example and saw that he was rushing up the stairs as they gave chase until they were out of the station.
"Where did he go?" Beast Boy asked, looking left and right.
"Cyborg," Raven turned to the half-robot.
"Got it, Rae," he replied and his red eye blinked before a screen on his arm lit up, revealing a map. A red, moving dot appeared on it.
"What are you doing, Cyborg?" Starfire asked confused before he answered proudly.
"I put a little tracker on our little friend and now we can find him without him even noticing that he is being tracked."
"And what…if he knows he is being followed by us?" Starfire asked, causing surprise on Cyborg's and Beast Boy's part.
She was right! Raven knew that there must have been something going on. Why else was he wrecking a subway? It certainly wasn't to get any high-end technology.
"Then we can't do anything but fall for that trap. This might be our only chance to get Robin back," Raven said, eyes looking seriously back at the rest of them.
They nodded and followed the trail…until they reached a very familiar terrain – the Theme Park.
"Does anybody think what I'm thinking?" Cyborg asked but received silence as his answer.
The red dot was right from them now and they turned in that direction.
Beast Boy felt anger burn beneath him as he read the sign above the door.
'Funhouse'.
They reluctantly entered and saw that the red dot suddenly disappeared. After a few more steps walking through rows of mirrors reflecting their tense expressions, they reached a hall…with no ground!
They stepped closer to the gaping hole, staring down into the seemingly bottomless pit.
And suddenly they feared what would await them on the other side.
"Guys? Are you sure this is the place?" Beast Boy asked, trying to swallow his nervousness.
"There is only one way to find out," Raven replied and she held out her hands. Cyborg and Beast Boy reluctantly took them before the changeling held out his hand to Starfire who held onto it with equal uncertainty.
Standing hand in hand, the 4 titans stared into the blackness as images of their leader flashed before each of their minds – Cyborg remembering the time Robin accepted his decision to lead Titans East, Raven remembering Robin and her watching the sunrise after she managed to defeat her father, Trigon, Beast Boy remembering the time they managed to defeat Mallah and the Brain before flash freezing them and Starfire remembering him saying that he was ready to be more than a hero before they shared their first kiss.
Robin's voice broke through their thoughts from the first time they met and that had guided them up until now. "Titans, go!"
They gave each other a comforting squeeze with their hands before determination replaced their fear.
"For Robin!" they said in unison.
And they jumped into the darkness.
If someone would watch him from across the railway, he would think that his only goal was to destroy public property – to vent his unknown anger.
But Robin was here for a purpose and as he attacked the bench by the wall, the purpose only intensified. And he feared it.
The former leader straightened up and turned towards the railway as a light breeze blew through the station. His face felt cool as the incoming wind brushed across the sweaty surface. Why was he so…stressed?
He didn't even put any effort in destroying the subway, so it was strange that he was already sweating like he had been undergoing vigorous training.
He stepped closer to the edge, the wind blowing stronger on his face and he closed his eyes. Sometimes he wished he was dreaming, wanting to be still asleep in the tower after they had saved Tamaran and Earth from the alien invasion.
Ever since Starfire had defeated Blackfire, things…seemed to go downhill – especially for him.
He was the glue that kept their team together.
The train drove into the station, blocking his view. The doors slid open and people filed out. Robin made no move as he watched people of different gender, age and height passing him.
Some of them gave him a confused look as to why he wouldn't enter and others gasped in shock or murmured about why part of the station was left in destruction. And it seemed that he was still the city's hero.
But then his eyes rested on a little 7-year old girl with dark hair. She trudged slowly behind her mother but when she saw Robin still unmoving and watching her, her eyes widened slightly with fear and she clutched her mother's dress before turning her face away from him and she was eager to get away from this creepy person as fast as possible.
And he knew that the longer he stayed with Slade, the faster this status was disintegrating. The train moved again and Robin watched his reflection on the moving windows – a villain in a hero's mask.
But his intentions told him that he was a hero in a villain's mask. After all, he was the glue that kept the city from falling apart by the crime that runs through it.
The train finally left the station at high speed, causing the cool wind to return again temporarily.
But as he stared at the determined, serious expression on each of his former teammates standing on the other side of the railway…he realized that he was now the crowbar that slowly pried their team apart. His eyes rested on Beast Boy's broken arm. It was…3 and a half against him. He should be able to take them on without much problem.
But he waited for orders, his eyes studying each of them carefully.
"You are not a hero."
Raven's words surprised the apprentice. But his face didn't lose their composure.
"When you fight heroes…you are nothing more than a villain."
His eyes narrowed angrily. How could they think of him like this?
How could they readily believe that he had changed sides – even worse, to Slade's side?
"And who made you 'heroes'?" Robin replied disappointed.
"It is not important who made you what you are, but what you do once you have realized yourself," Starfire said and smiled at him.
Confusion struck his face.
But he knew what he was doing – he knew what sacrifices he had to make when being the 'hero'. "And I know what I'm doing," he replied, his voice sounding almost cold in his ears.
"I don't think so," Cyborg said this time.
"It's because you don't know," Robin said, his eyes downcast.
A short silence.
"Then tell us…what it means to be a hero! Tell us why you still stay as Slade's apprentice," Raven said, staring determinedly at the teen across from her.
Robin turned to look at her. Even if he told them…there was nothing they could do. He was already too far for him to turn back.
The earpiece crackled to life and Slade's voice brought him one step closer to him. "Begin the last phase, my apprentice!"
Robin pulled out a bird-a rang, alarming the 4 heroes on the other side. "You're too late," he said and threw it at them before they scattered. Cyborg's arm turned into a cannon and he fired it across from him but Robin saw the incoming beam and jumped away.
Robin found himself face to face with a certain half-demon and he slammed his fist against her which was blocked with a black shield. He jumped back to evade a flying bench and fired a smoke ball. Taken by surprise, Raven felt a metal boot slam against her chest, sending her flying against the wall. But suddenly he was hit by a green starbolt, causing him to plummet out of the smoke. Robin managed to clumsily land on his feet before seeing Starfire charging out of the smoke, firing another starbolt.
He managed to jump away and fired a disk that she let pass but was thrown forward when it exploded right behind her. Robin advanced her when he noticed another bench flying across from the station. He ducked in the last second before firing his grappling hook, tying itself around the foot of the large green gorilla before he was replaced by Beast Boy. The string quickly pulled him forward and Robin took out his staff, deciding to send the changeling flying back once he came close enough.
Unfortunately, he forgot about the half-robot who fired his cannon and Robin jumped back, causing the wire to break as the beam shot through it. Beast Boy plummeted onto the rails.
A familiar breeze ventilated the station and the ex-leader looked at his former teammate who turned to look into the tunnel, still sprawled onto his stomach.
Suddenly Robin got slammed by a vending machine, sending him against the wall and he flinched from the pain as Raven floated up to him.
Her glowing hands shot up before a yellow light filled the station and Robin and Raven watched as Beast Boy stared in horror at the approaching train that was about to flatten him.
"Beast Boy!"
Robin stared in shock. He just hoped that Slade didn't hear the worry in his voice as he called out to his former friend. "Now use the bait," Slade's voice muttered in his ear.
But what about Beast Boy?
Robin managed to stand up and stepped forward before he saw that a robotic hand took hold of Beast Boy's broken arm and retracted, pulling the surprised changeling away just as the train rushed by.
"Thanks, Cy!" the changeling grinned.
"Could you tell me…why you are not crying or flinching or even complaining that I pulled you too hard? I mean, I pulled you on your broken arm."
Beast smiled nervously at his best friend. "Oh, that. Well…I guess…my arm healed faster than I thought."
"And why didn't you tell us? Don't tell me you thought it would still hurt," Cyborg said dangerously, causing Beast Boy to fidget even more nervously.
"You know…you've been treating me really nicely the last 2 days since I didn't need to do most of the chores and I finally managed to beat my high score…so I thought maybe I could keep this up for a bit longer," Beast Boy muttered meekly, causing 3 pairs of eyes to glare deadly in his direction. Movement from across the rails brought them back to more pressing matters.
Starfire, having recovered from the explosion fired another starbolt at her former boyfriend but Robin countered with an explosive disk, nullifying their attacks. The ex-leader jumped out of the way of a rocket that was shot by Cyborg and latched onto the still moving train.
"Don't let him get away!" Raven called and they followed Slade's apprentice into the dark tunnel. They got onto the roof of the train and saw the retreating back of their former leader in the dim fluorescent lights that kept flashing at intervals due to the train's movement.
They followed him and suddenly he turned around, sending a disk flying their way and Raven's shield shot out to protect them. But instead of exploding, a white light filled the tunnel and the 4 heroes shielded their eyes before Raven managed to encase them in a dark ball, easing their assaulted eyes.
Robin's silhouette moved to show him jumping off the roof as the train moved into the next station. The titans followed his example and saw that he was rushing up the stairs as they gave chase until they were out of the station.
"Where did he go?" Beast Boy asked, looking left and right.
"Cyborg," Raven turned to the half-robot.
"Got it, Rae," he replied and his red eye blinked before a screen on his arm lit up, revealing a map. A red, moving dot appeared on it.
"What are you doing, Cyborg?" Starfire asked confused before he answered proudly.
"I put a little tracker on our little friend and now we can find him without him even noticing that he is being tracked."
"And what…if he knows he is being followed by us?" Starfire asked, causing surprise on Cyborg's and Beast Boy's part.
She was right! Raven knew that there must have been something going on. Why else was he wrecking a subway? It certainly wasn't to get any high-end technology.
"Then we can't do anything but fall for that trap. This might be our only chance to get Robin back," Raven said, eyes looking seriously back at the rest of them.
They nodded and followed the trail…until they reached a very familiar terrain – the Theme Park.
"Does anybody think what I'm thinking?" Cyborg asked but received silence as his answer.
The red dot was right from them now and they turned in that direction.
Beast Boy felt anger burn beneath him as he read the sign above the door.
'Funhouse'.
They reluctantly entered and saw that the red dot suddenly disappeared. After a few more steps walking through rows of mirrors reflecting their tense expressions, they reached a hall…with no ground!
They stepped closer to the gaping hole, staring down into the seemingly bottomless pit.
And suddenly they feared what would await them on the other side.
"Guys? Are you sure this is the place?" Beast Boy asked, trying to swallow his nervousness.
"There is only one way to find out," Raven replied and she held out her hands. Cyborg and Beast Boy reluctantly took them before the changeling held out his hand to Starfire who held onto it with equal uncertainty.
Standing hand in hand, the 4 titans stared into the blackness as images of their leader flashed before each of their minds – Cyborg remembering the time Robin accepted his decision to lead Titans East, Raven remembering Robin and her watching the sunrise after she managed to defeat her father, Trigon, Beast Boy remembering the time they managed to defeat Mallah and the Brain before flash freezing them and Starfire remembering him saying that he was ready to be more than a hero before they shared their first kiss.
Robin's voice broke through their thoughts from the first time they met and that had guided them up until now. "Titans, go!"
They gave each other a comforting squeeze with their hands before determination replaced their fear.
"For Robin!" they said in unison.
And they jumped into the darkness.
