*REVISED
Chapter 6: Where Were We? The Psychotic Pirate?
The atmosphere in the room had gone down measurably in hostility, but there was no doubt tension still floated through the air. Most of it coming from a bird, a bat, a magician, and a very annoyed half-demon.
Both of the teams, including Batman and Black Canary, were gathered in the mission room.
Robin stood in center at the holo-computer, downloading information from his laptop into the Mount Justice database. Cyborg and Raven lingered behind him, idly occupying themselves with scanning over the information.
Starfire was adamantly talking with M'gann, Black Canary, and Wonder Girl, who were responding to her innocent questions in stride. Beast Boy drifted from person to person, awkwardly trying to start a conversation, until he finally ended up by Starfires side. His bright mood had dimmed considerably at his failed attempts of conversation, but lit up once again as he chatted with his personal green skinned idol.
Both Batman and Zatanna lingered near the corners of the room, surrounding themselves in shadows. The magician hadn't quite gotten over her embarrassment from the other night, and Batman was being his usual, anti-social self.
Everyone else talked about unimportant topics while they waited for the ebony to finish his task.
Robin felt numb as the bar on the laptop screen slowly filled. After getting only two hours of sleep the night before (being plauged by nightmares and paranoia), he was running on fumes. Which, in all reality, was his default phase.
He couldn't stop feeling the burning gaze of the man lurking in the shadows on his back. It unnerved him, but he refused to bring attention to it. That would only make things worse, in his opinion. The bitter look Zatanna was giving him and Raven wasn't helping matters along, either.
Which is why he let out an inaudible sigh as the bar finally filled up, and the information transferred to the holo-computer. The screen popped up, along with a dozen images that surrounded a black and orange mask. The others immediately turned their attention to the screen, where the Young Justice team (along with Batman) dully noted the lack of information surrounding this 'Slade'.
"Let's just start off with what everyone needs to know about Slade. He's extremely dangerous." as Robin started his speech, Starfire and Beast Boy came to stand next to Raven and Cyborg, with Robin in the middle. Everyone noticed the seriousness that even Beast Boy seemed to have schooled, and they all whole-heartedly believed the birds statement.
"It's true that the Titans have only had a few face to face instantances with him, but his presence is in many of the crimes that occur in Jump." the holo-computer displayed several instances of this, including the Red X scandal, which Robin pointedly avoided looking at.
"I have a hard time believing that." Batman suddenly grunted, and Robin bristled at the unwanted comment. Everyone else in the room seemed to tense, just waiting to see what would happen this time.
Robin took a deep breath. He could handle this. It was just Batman being his usual, all-knowing self, nothing to get too worked up about. The man was simply reinforcing the reasons on why Robin left in the first place. He can handle Batman for the rest of the mission briefing.
"And what, exactly, would you know about Slade?" the bird asked through slightly gritted teeth. The teen made it clear that he was in no mood to be patronized.
Batman's ever-present glare hardened, but he refused to act unprofessional. "I know that, from the mask this man appears to be wearing, and the color scheme, you Titans have most likely been dealing with Deathstroke the Terminator; Now, apparently, going by Slade."
Everyone but Black Canary seemed to have no idea who the man was talking about. Even Robin raised an eyebrow at the statement, wondering-not for the first time-if Batman was simply making up new villains in his head.
Because, really, who would name themselves Deathstroke the Terminator?
Canary didn't seem to take any humour in the Bats supposed senile comment. Her face actually paled slightly, and to those who were close enough, they could see slight worry in her eyes.
"Batman, that's quite the accusation. The last time we saw that man was two years after the Justice League began. It's been some time, and why would he suddenly appear again with a new alias?" Batman huffed slightly in response to Canary's comment.
Robin was tired of this. They still hadn't changed, had they? The League was still talking in vague sentences, and they seemed reluctant to give up information too easily.
He had enough. Robin was the leader of his own team now, that operated separate from the League in all concepts. There was no way he was going to be treated as though he was still apart of Young Justice. He wouldn't let his new teammates go through all the guessing games he had to as a kid.
"Do either of you mind actually explaining who this Deathstroke is?" he bit out, and Batman gave him a blank stare, while Canary seemed to be thinking over it. She bit her bottom lip slightly, and her eyes looked very conflicted as well.
Robin's posture stiffened immediately as he silently watched Canary. Whoever this Deathstroke was, they obviously got to her in some way in the past. That would be the only possible reason she was outwardly acting like this, and not like the usual stoic facade she usual put on in front of the Team.
But, if what they were saying was true and Deathstroke and Slade were one in the same, it would explain why even the elder heroes seemed to get wary. Slade was a formidable foe for anyone.
Finally, it seemed as though Black Canary cracked under the withering gaze Robin had been giving her. She sighed, and looked at Batman one more time before looking at the teenagers that were looking at her with curiousity. Some held more annoyance, however.
"Deathstroke was a mercenary that came very close to bringing the entire Justice League crumbling. He was closely associated to Lex Luthor, and frequently took contracts from him. But then, he simply vanished. No one has heard from him since then." Everyone but Batman seemed a bit shocked at that statement.
Deathstroke almost took down the entire Justice League? By himself? Why were they just hearing about this now?
Robin was pelted by these questions, and many more, and was itching to find out even more. If Slade really was this fabled mercenary, then he had much more research he had to do. The ebony may not have been able to find much on his current alias, but there might just be something to find under the name Deathstroke.
"I'll add the information to the data base once we get back to Titans Tower. Since we still don't know for certain if Slade and Deathstroke are the same, I suggest we continue." Robin said, and everyone nodded, looking somewhat more worried than when they came in.
"We really don't have much information on him, except that he's intelligent, possibly meta-human, and will stop at almost nothing to get what-" Raven shot him a pointed look, and Robin mentally growled while glaring at her from the corner of his eye. "-or who, he wants."
"He is extremely skilled with a bo-staff, along with close combat, so if you come in contact try to get farther away and use long-range attacks. But also keep in mind that he may be meta-human and have heightened reflex's, so those might not work either." the teens from Young Justice gave him a blank stare, and Kid Flash hesitantly raised his hand.
The bird sighed. "Yes, KF?"
Wally put his hand down and opened his mouth, only to close it again. His face contorted in super-speed, until it finally took on a simply curious expression.
"So, if we somehow meet this guy, we're supposed to stay back and use long range attacks that probably won't even work?"
"Yes, yes you are. That's the only way that you will be able to handle him." Robin asked simply, and was about to go on when Wally's hand shot up, faster this time. Artemis gave her boyfriend a quizzical look, but chose not to say anything.
Robin huffed, but waved for Kid Flash to talk.
"So, we fight this Slade guy the same way we would fight you?"
It was an innocent question, really. The speedster was just making a comparison that made sense in his mind. He had fought (sparred, is probably more accurate) Robin many times, and he was seeing if he could use some of the tricks he had learned with Robin against Slade.
Who knew such an innocent question would get such a bad reaction?
Robin tensed, but only his team seemed to notice at first. They all glanced at him from the corners of their eyes, and everyone except Raven shifted on their feet.
Everything was silent for a few moments, and even Wally seemed to realize that what he said hit some sore spots. Nobody but the Titans seemed to know what the comment exactly did to the Boy Wonder, however.
Robin could feel Batman and Canary's eyes narrow, but refused to look at anyone. He squeezed his eyes shut behind his mask, and took a deep breath. The ebony even turned toward the screen behind him, his back now to the rest of the heroes.
Why was it, that even people who have never seen or heard of Slade before, compare them? What even gives them the right to do that?
Slade is a despicable, manipulative monster. Surely they didn't see Robin the same way, did they?
It didn't matter. He had to focus on the mission. That's all that matters at the moment. Robin could deal with his emotions later. Now, it was time to get work done.
"That..." he trailed, and took one more deep breath before turning back to the others, eyes still closed. "...is a fairly reasonable comparison. But, he's much more ruthless than I am, alright?" Robin finished in a soft tone.
Canary and the original members of the team wore concerned faces, but that wasn't what Robin saw when he finally unscrunched his eyes. All he saw was Batman's expression.
No concern. No emotion at all, except that barely readable hint of suspicion.
Seeing this, Robin steeled his gaze, and his confidence returned. He looked back to the other heroes and saw that all of them were silently waiting for him to speak.
At least they seemed to realize the subject shouldn't be pushed.
"Meeting dismissed." Robin curtly said, and promptly turned around with a flourish of his cape.
He didn't know exactly what else there was for him to do at the moment, but he needed to take his mind off of things. It was getting a bit too stressful lately.
Training sounded like a good idea. At least, it did right now. Robin always used training as a way to blow off steam, and this situation seemed perfect. Plus, he still needed to work on a new move he had been trying to perfect for a while now.
That's what he was planning to do as he walked down the dark hallway, anyway. He was so focused on distracting himself, that he failed to notice that he was not the only one to go down this particular hallway.
As he neared the training room, however, the distinct click of heels managed to penetrate his thoughts. Robin immidietly spun around, just two meters short of the door way. His nerves were already on edge, he really didn't need anyone from the team questioning him right now.
Robin didn't even think he could handle Raven right now.
Luckily for him, it wasn't Raven or any other team member. It was someone worse.
Black Canary strode down the hall, quickly closing the distant between them. Robin refused to move an inch, and met her neutral gaze head on with one of his own.
He already knew what she wanted to do, but he was not really in the mood for a one-on-one. She would just have to wait.
The only question was if she would accept no for an answer.
"Robin, I think we need to talk."
Hhhhhheeeeeeyyyyyyyy. I know I haven't been active for...what is it now...a couple months?
He he, been pretty busy...
But I hope you all enjoyed the chapter regardless. I was planning to just update all the chapters at once, but I have only managed to edit this one so far...yeah.
See you...next time?
~Atatami