A Different Identity
A Teen Titans Fanfiction
By: Nightingale0708

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It has the name fanfiction for a reason.

Slade was watching the Titans furiously scramble after the bot and the detonator on multiple computer screens.

"Hurry, young Titans. Your time is running out." he mused out loud. Suddenly, there was an explosion behind him. The door. Without even looking behind him for conformation, Slade knew it was the Boy Wonder who had blasted open his front door. Literally.

"Actually, we just went into overtime." Slade heard the smug smirk in Robin's voice. Arrogant boy. Robin was testing his limits, trying to get a rise out of him. Slade wouldn't allow him that satisfaction, even though he would've done the same exact thing himself. As he turned, he mentally complemented the hero. He hadn't thought that he would've found Slade's hideout so fast. Slade had thought it would take him at least another hour to defeat Cinderblock. When he finished his semi-circle, Slade was able to see the snarl on Robin's face. It was obvious that he'd been waiting a long time for this fight. Well, Slade would made it worth his time.

"You came for the detonator, I assume?" he asked, stepping forward. He placed the detonator on the floor an equal space between the two of them. "Then, come and get it."

Robin was a little confused about the sudden change in demeanor. But he recovered quickly and rushed forward, trying to grab the detonator before Slade could revoke his offer. Slade got there before him, though, and leaped over the detonator, kicking Robin in the stomach hard. Robin flipped backwards, trying to get to a safe distance. He landed in a crouch, trying to catch his breath. Slade tried to kick him once more but he ducked and swung his leg out, kicking out Slade's remaining leg. Slade fell to the ground with a hard thump. Robin turned back to Slade, fully prepared to take him on again. When Robin stood, however, Slade was nowhere to be found. Robin's head snapped to the left and right, but he still couldn't see Slade. Robin's temper was finally boiling over. Slade was just playing with him at this point. And if there was one thing Robin hated, it was being played with.

He decided to fight Slade on his own terms. Since Robin had a photographic memory, he was able to call up a picture of the room he was currently in without any trouble. Robin remembered that there was a small dark corner that he could hide in if Slade decided to continue their fight. Robin guessed that he would be getting bored right about now and would attack while he had the chance. Slade, as he'd guessed, leaped out of the shadows. Robin rushed into the shadows, leaving Slade thrown for a loop. Slade looked around, in the same predicament that Robin was in moments earlier. Robin smirked. Serves Slade right. Slade probably didn't know anything about the dark, but Robin was taught in it. All Robin had to do to take the mercenary down was to wait for his opening. Robin was nothing if not opportunistic. Robin decided to play with Slade's senses for a little bit. Using his cryptographic sequencer, he made a generator explode. Slade was thrown backwards onto the floor. Robin decided this would be the best chance he got. Taking out his bo-staff, he leaped down from his vantage point and sent it crashing into the concrete where Slade's head was a moment before. Slade had rolled aside before he could get a clean shot off.

Slade rolled out of the way before Robin could crush his head into the cement. Of course, his mask would've prevented that but Robin didn't know that. Robin's last move had been cunning and sly. Slade himself would've done the same thing. If the results from Slade's test were correct... But Slade couldn't think about that right now. He and Robin were currently in a dangerous dance that could end with one of them playing the role of a bloody pulp in this twisted soap opera. Slade couldn't allow it to be him, so he leaped backwards. He landed in a crouch by his massive computer screens. He had had enough of this irritating game. It was time to show Robin just who was in control. He leaped at Robin, punching at him again and again. Robin's agility allowed him to dodge a few but he eventually tired himself out, leaving him open to Slade's attacks.

Slade's fist smashed into his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He landed on the floor on his hands and knees, gasping for air. Thing is, he couldn't admit his defeat or his weakness. He had to save the city that he had sworn to protect. He attempted to get up, but his ribs protested. He crashed back to the ground. Slade paced back and forth, chuckling. Robin's heart filled with apprehension. Slade was holding back.

"Come now, Robin." Slade's voice echoed in Robin's head. "You're going to have to do better than this. I haven't even broken a sweat while you're drenched in it."

Robin gritted his teeth while wiping away a bead of sweat that was making its was down his face. Robin had to redeem himself. Slade was right, as much as Robin hated to admit it. He had to up his game. He couldn't allow Slade to win. He would throw Slade in jail and would personally make sure that he was never able to get out as long as he was alive. Robin had to win. If not for him, then for the city.

Suddenly, Robin pushed himself up and sprinted at Slade, mildly surprising the man. When he was close enough, he pushed his body into a roundhouse kick, aiming at Slade's head. Slade caught it seemingly without effort, though. Escaping the mercenary's hold, Robin punched at Slade's face, which Slade caught. Yet again, much to Robin's displeasure. Slade's eye now showed amusement.

"Decent technique." he mused.

He forced Robin's elbow down, bending it unnaturally. Robin gasped, unable to scream either through the pain or pride. Slade grabbed ahold of Robin's cape and threw him over his shoulder. Robin landed hard on his back, forcing the air from his lungs yet again. Slade was pacing back and forth in front of him yet again. Just how weak was he, or worse: Just how weak was he allowing himself to be?

"Good, but not perfect."

Robin gasped from his position on the ground. He grabbed his hurting elbow and rubbed it slightly. He tried to control his breathing. He was tired and beaten. But he wouldn't allow Slade to see that or know that. Slade came into his line of sight. He looked up at him, his breathing still more erratic than what he would like.

"Why?" He said through his gasps. Slade regarded him, his lone eye glittering in amusement. He tilted his head to the side.

"Why what?"

"Why are you...holding back? You could've...killed me...at any time. Why didn't you?"

Slade seemed to consider his answer before speaking. His eye softened momentarily before hardening once more. Robin started from the change in composure.

"Because of matters that are none of your concern." he said icily.

"Why play with us, Slade? What's your end game?" he asked. When Slade spoke, his voice was filled with amusement.

"I thought that children enjoyed playing games." His patronizing voice grated on Robin's nerves. Rage made Robin's vision turn red.

"I am not a child." He launched himself at Slade, catching the man off guard. He punched repeatedly. While Slade was able to dodge most of the blows, Robin was able to land a few. A particularly hard one landed on Slade's mask, sending a resounding crack echoing around the room. Robin twisted his body into another kick, making it land on the side of Slade's face. He darted toward the completely forgotten trigger, grasping it in his hand. He completely ignored the fact that Slade had let him reach the objective. He turned toward the fallen villain, a smug smirk adorning his features.

"This twisted game is over, Slade." He felt a great wave of relief flood him. He had single-handedly saved the city. The city was safe. Innocents weren't in danger anymore. They were safe. Slade chuckled before pushing himself off the floor. Soon, he was standing. He faced Robin and the hero's blood ran cold.

"The game has only begun, young Robin." With Slade's words, the trigger crumbled to spare parts in front of Robin's eyes. His eyes widened and narrowed at the mercenary. Robin's fists clenched, his knuckles cracking from the pressure.

"Where's the real trigger?!" he shouted. Slade chuckled darkly.

"There is no trigger...because there is no detonator." he paused to let that ground-breaking news sink in. "The chronoton detonator was merely the bait for a much larger prize."

"I've been watching you and your Titans, Robin. I was able to bait you quite easily, I'm afraid. You see, the ray that I hit them with only moment ago infected them with microscopic probes of my creation. With the push of a button, I can destroy your friends from the inside out."

"You can't control them. No matter what you have on them, they'll never obey you." Robin said, defiance lacing his voice, hiding his real feelings. Slade literally had his finger on the button to end his friends' lives. That was something that many villains in Jump City would kill for.

"That will not be needed. I only wish to control you, not your friends. With your friends' lives hanging in the balance, I'm sure you're eager to hear what I have to say." Robin paused. He needed to hear Slade's demands before he went and did anything rash. But the next words out of Slade's mouth made Robin's blood run cold.

"This was never about your friends, Robin. Its about you. Its always been about you." Slade paced back and forth in front of a disgruntled Robin, who was having trouble soaking everything in.

"What?" Robin asked, his throat tight. This couldn't be true...

"Sending trouble your way, leaving cryptic clues for you to unravel...I was testing you. For some time now, I have been searching for...an apprentice." He paused. "Someone to follow in my footsteps... and Robin, I've chosen you." Robin stared defiantly into the two-toned mask. "Congratulations." Robin couldn't stand it. Forced to work for the man that had the city at its knees a moment ago? No way in hell would Robin do that.

"No way would I ever-" Robin was stopped by Slade subtly raising his hand where the trigger lied. Robin could save himself...but at the expense of his friends' lives. Or, he could swear himself over to Slade, only to kill his friends later. When Robin really thought about it, Slade won in both options.

"If you join me, if you swear to serve me, if you never speak to your friends again, I will allow them to live." Robin's eyes were as wide as they could possibly go. This was so a one-sided deal.

"But...if you disobey even the smallest request, I will annihilate them, Robin. And I'll make you watch. So, do we have a deal?" Robin realized that he didn't have a choice in the matter. On one hand, he could join Slade, but he would eventually be ordered to kill them, or Slade would take care of that for him. On the other hand, Robin could turn down the job offer at the expense of his friends' lives. Even if he did that, Slade wouldn't allow him to go free. He'd just torture him and brainwash him until he's the perfect soldier, since he didn't have the Titans' lives hanging in the balance. Either way, Slade got his apprentice. Killing the Titans was just icing on the cake.