Teen Titans; Epilogue Story – Prologue; Rewind – Chapter 19: A Time to Cry and A Time to Try
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The Tameranean and her crew only stayed a few rooms down, knowing that Dick could only go so long without doing something exciting otherwise, to keep himself occupied.
Beastboy stayed as a tabby cat by Star's feet. Cy checked his status reports hourly. Raven checked out the energy and aura wavelengths within the manor to be sure that Slade's name wasn't written on any of them.
For not just their leader's sake, they were on their toes and would never stop searching for a cure. Slade had made sure to keep his adversaries close and his allies on their toes till their dying days…
Dying…
Raven cracked open an eye as she meditated to the sound of a frosty hail falling outside the manor's closest downstairs window where she dwelled.
"I don't like the look of that." As she turned to find who'd spoken, it took no time to find that John C had likely been back from his trip in record time to properly say goodbye.
"Sorry, lov. Have I interrupted anything?"
She shook her head and pulled her hood down, trying to mask her other emotions as best she could. He was perceptive, for a mortal and warlock.
"Why didn't you tell Mr. Wayne you hadn't –
"Did some spy – work, had the hour to pick up a trace of him on my radar." The man's eyes were serious. "When did they….is he in the cave, Bats?"
"The study, with our leader. Just them." She didn't want to spoil the moment for either male, but John had a knowledge of the taboo sort. He might also know a curative spell or a way to limit the transformation before Dick succumbed to the changes too soon.
"I guess you want me here; I'm not against missing out on Al's tea and biscuits." The ruddy blonde male grinned and headed for the next room with Raven. He wondered why she seemed too on edge. Beastie's influence, no doubt about that, he imagined.
As they turned the corner, Beastboy appeared to point and gawk at John. Eyes shocked and his eerie glow to the cat made the kitty's fur stand upright immediately. Changing back to his own body, he nearly shrieked in frightened terror when ole' Johnny said " Boo" to his face. Raven didn't think it the best idea, but Bb was harmless. She hoped…
" Gah! The voo – doo king is baaack ! Cyy ! Get over here! Duude!!" Bb hollered down the hall to his pal, who tried not to let the green stain's yelling throw him off track. "What's up...Raven??" Cy looked at her, surprised to see that Raven was buddy - buddy with the older brit.
"E'llo govna!" Joked the main adult, having Cy nearly shake his head by the bugs' bunnying he'd received.
"Ok, what's all this goin' on with the little prince? Is he out of the woods, just yet?"
"We can't go in ta' ask yet…. but, Al an' Star can give you some feedback…I think?" Scratching his head, John shrugged. "Please, do lead the way." Getting ready to follow the leader down the hall to where Al and Starfire were keeping tabs on a newly heated discussion about Alien politics, the two allies waved back as the men on the other side of the door they were keeping watch over, soon had one Wayne poke his head out to redirect his attention to his guests.
"We'll need you to keep it down…right now we have some ground covered; I'm trying to see if I can accomplish more. Alfred? Would you keep our guests entertained for the next hour or so? We'll both be sure to join you for dinner in a while."
"As you wish, Master Bruce."
"Do you have room for two more?" John asked for Raven to join him, and Bruce wanted to say no…But, in truth, he had called John all this way. For precautionary reasons.
"Only if you try to stay out of the discussion until its time."
"Until it is time for what?" Starfire blinked and seemed intrigued by this last-minute planning stage.
Very sneaky…. Raven even felt conned. Ah, of course. Slade was not a fan of real magic. It was his one weakness. That without logic and too much freedom. Well, maybe not to go that far.
"We can do that." She said in John's defense. "I will meditate quietly."
"Thanks. And, don't worry. Once everything is finished to a degree, Dick and I can explain everything down to the last line on paper."
/
Bruce had never looked so lively as just then. He was treating the meeting like a business proposition; Dick didn't seem to care, but his logical brain had slightly been increased due to the serum, so it was natural that his IQ might take a hike up the ladder.
"So….in light of…"
As Richard read off his mentor's written proposal, it seemed to have a calming effect on his mind. Odd, seeing as Richard needed the connection of people and not objects to make it through his ordeal.
"When are we going to see them…to take a look at the suit?"
Raven tried to do a she'd been expected and crossed over to the darkest side of the room to find her center. John kind of sat for a cat nap and didn't bother to let them know he was faking. If he did any of what she was up to, a demon could be summoned or worse. He'd end up somewhere else.
"Leslie can help you to have some control over your anger, for now. We'll be sure to have virtual sessions so you won't be limited…As for the suit, Dr. Connelly can take a look tomorrow. He's worked with the material for many of the League's top members that get activated in a similar manner of speaking."
"But…there has –
Bruce put a hand on dick's now steady shoulder. No more shaking, a very good sign.
"We will look, and we won't give up. Your team is fine as long you can feel at you best again. No extra protective powers will prevent you from being their leader. Still; the clause here…"
/
After the hour had been up, a timer went off and Constantine jumped from his ski at the timing.
"Wuhu – huh?" He grunted and stretched a bit before scratching his beard. "Did I lose my… yawn…Spot yet…"
"Nope." Dick sat, smiling, while Bruce ushered both heroine and hero to sit by them or to stand.
"We are ready to try something new." Bruce told them. "If you'd be so kind, John?"
/
Raven was able to ghost her fingers with Constantine's over the hero's flat torso as he laid on the table in front of the four chairs.
"See it?' John grunted the question to his empathetic accomplice.
" Ah…. There…." She sighed and let down her arms with a shove. "I know the way to remove the suit." She was even impressed as John gave her a wink in thanks. She smiled and nodded back.
"So?" Bruce asked. "What's the verdict?"
"It's, his will…." She began, but couldn't go on to explain the full reason. Dick's face looked nearly bordering on mortified and confused to her.
Raven pulled up her hood. She… -
"He has to want to take it off." John jumped in, making the Titan's leader jumpier than before.
"What?" And that's when the shit hit the fan for poor Bruce Wayne's ward. Robin's retrained mind was now once again bent on fighting his friends, again.
This…was going to be a long session until the dinner bell rang.
/
Bb cringed at the sound of a fight brewing in the room. All bets were off then? So…
"Is Mr. Wayne not doing well with the final negotiations???" Starfire bombarded poor Bb with the questions he also wanted a solid answer to. "Please…. Can you not, crawl in through the lock and try to stop them??"
"I can't get in the middle…. it's –
"This is not rude!" Star protested, loudly. "We must stop the fighting! Family must never behave this way! I w –
"No!" Raven popped her head out the door and glared at both of her teammates. "Ignore them. They're just, bonding –
"But!"
"B – o – n- d –i– n – g." Raven spelled out before slamming the door shut, (to stop Robin from pulling down another bookcase on top of Bruce's skull.)
"Does… most earth – male bonding on your planet involve the "recklessly throwing and …breaking" of priceless pieces of heirloom furniture??" Starfire wanted to hear a reply, but Bb just covered his ears and blocked out the screaming teens on the other end.
"Dude…. Rob is bein' way too looney…why can't he just wanna, trust us?"
"Not that I don't feel ya' or anything, Bb." Cy poked his head around the corner and was not in a great mood himself by the looks of things. "But those two need to work out whatever they've got goin' on. You too, Star. Dinner's gonna be done in a few. Al will come get them."
"Are you sure we cannot –
"If Rae says it's fine, then I'd advise ya' to listen to her. Come on."
Bb nodded and dragged his butt to the dining room first, while Starfire stood in front of the door to the study and felt that there was nothing, she could do but show her support and kindness to those who were in more pain, than her heart was currently being subjected to.
"Robin…. you must remember who you are to your dear friends….and to me as well…" She sighed and floated off, hoping her words could reach past the rioting, wounded warrior on the other side.
/
~ Anger. So much of it…It isn't me...it can't be but I'm…. ~
Dick slammed a fist into the bookcase as Bruce dodged, while Constantine had a first look at the boy's budding "premonition" ability. Dick glared at the magician as that, irritating nervous chuckle John countered with, was certainly uncalled for.
"Ah. Right. Sorry, lad. Shoulda' seen that coming –
" Yaah! Dick picked up more books and tried to throw the men off, trying to find the passage that led to the cave as Bruce made this room as tight as any vault. Even the door out to the hallway was barred shut by magic.
"Bloody! The boy's taking apart sacred texts now?? Aha! We have all night then; I won't mind it!"
~A trick. He doesn't trust anyone! ~
Dick panted as Raven rushed in to seal his hate, but Robin swerved out of her projectile's way. "Why is he…so fast –
"With that extra, anti – dote, you'd like to think he'd be more man than animal, or am I –
" Raah!" Dick tossed a lamp next, thankfully no fires caught on as the priceless, shattered heirloom had sacrificed itself for a worthy cause that day.
"Can you keep him still long enough, you two –
"Shut up! You really DON'T know how to get this crappy suit off of me, Bruce…I would just be stuck in here like some lab rat…just like –
"That's enough! Azarath…Metrion…ZINTHOS!"
Raven's power surrounded Dick shoulders as her soul self's projectiles kept him still enough to be sedated.
"We don't know if it'll work. What about –
"I made sure to do my research." Bruce steadied his arm as Dick still refused to stop flailing in his grip.
"This is for you own good, Richard…you need –
A kick; and the vial was sent to the floor. Raven waited and strengthened her power to drain Dick of the fight in him. "We won't need it, for now…" She started to sway as Richard was the same. Conked out, on the floor.
John and Bruce caught each Titan as their master plan had fizzled out. Night had come, and the whole plan had been shot full of holes thanks to Slade's basic brainwashing procedure.
"Never said it would be easy, mate..." John shook his head and set Raven onto one of the larger chairs in the room. "I'm going to keep him safe for as long as it takes…"
"But will he even want a cure if it means debasing himself like this?" John cocked an eye at the sleeping teen leader. He looked like he'd have to wave up from a nightmare any second…Heck, so did the goth one.
/
"Where are our friends, Raven and Robin?" Starfire started to ask, just as the two gents had been ready to pick up a plate of Al's seasonal veggie tartine platter for their starter. Bruce didn't want to stay long and instead whispered to Al to bring a plate of food for himself, Raven and Dick, if they ever woke up by tonight.
John rubbed his neck and tried to, be honest enough….
"Agh…Might want to touch base on' that by tomorrow, lov. Bruce is busy pulling an all - nighter. Raven, is helping. Well… -
"NO." Starfire stood right up before Bruce could return to his underground lair.
"You have explained nothing to us; our team – members for hours throughout this entire day have not gotten a single reason as to your "coming and going." We DEMAND to know what is happening to our leader and friend Raven this exact instant!"
All bets were off, so Bruce started talking.
/
"Richard right now is in…a very defensive state…. his mind is a bit confused. As if he's reliving current flashbacks without having to visualize them –
"Empathy? You mean…"
"He can manifest his own pain, which normally signifies distress on the human consciousness from a deeper trauma. In his case, he can't turn it off so he's unable to let anyone in."
Bb gasped. "Like, a wild animal! My mom and dad used to study animal behaviors in the jungle. She said it's the part of the brain that helps them to escape predators –
"But his is, haywire. A little."
"No…" Cy wanted to think a regular pill wouldn't be this cure all…but Slade, had made Robin this sick…it made his appetite lesson as he soon lost the urge to enjoy Alfred's home cooking.
"That's why the only other way to get the suit off was…too much."
"He had to want it off fully; he couldn't just say, "I want this bloody cloak off of my back." John noticed how Bruce tapped his foot, waiting too finish.
"Right. Ahem, your turn then… mate." John sat down and eyed the roast. "Would someone please pass the roast beef?"
Beastboy for a moment, must have turned blue right in front of the Dark Knight.
/
"So…lemme get this straight…." Cy also might have turned bright red from this psychological jargon he had to eventually master in only one night. "The serum heightens his hearing, taste, emotions, so when he's afraid –
"He can border than onto…"
" Primal fear." Wayne ended this trail for now. "And when he's not in touch with himself, his rage can be…centered around his personal fears. We saw it earlier; he didn't want to listen to what Slade had to say, so his brain decided to get rid of the problem. Damaging the screen was his defense mechanism. He's not unaware, but he said he actually did it to tick Slade off so he'd leave the chat. But Slade knew, and so did I."
"Robin…" Starfire looked down at her plate of rather odd green trees.
"Slade is a hunter; he will go after his target and do everything in his power to accomplish his job or contract until nothing else remains. The same when he decides on who he wants to work for him."
"They say that those who are decisive are better when getting' ahead in life." John took apart a loaf of bread and dipped it into his rather aromatic squash soup. What a spread. Maybe he'd stay one more night to be sure…
"Maybe the serum is retraining the boy's brain chemistry to a degree, making him think like a hunter."
"He's also harder to speak to if you're not talking…logically."
"Isn't that like someone who's more literal. Or…. on the spec –
"Bb, it's not that way. Kinda like a…an automatic response?" Cy corrected.
"He always needed to always find order as a kid after the death of his parents… he was taught to always make his mark as the son of Bruce Wayne on the world…I wonder if I pushed him too far –
"Like Slade didn't see through that far along?" Chewing on a bit of the soft, buttery rolls made by the manor's best head chef, the butler gave the laughing magician an " ehem" to chew with his mouth closed. Swallowing noisily, the man's eyes were serious when it came to having proper table manners in this household.
Bruce continued, "Slade's brain works at ninety – percent capacity. He has the power to surpass any scholar in history…and, I don't think Robin should try to do the same."
"Why is that? His gift could be to help others as our Robin always –
"Because, knowledge also breeds fear. The more he knows too soon, the greater chance of another breakdown."
"And Slade's been around the block long enough to rub that one in on us." Cy scooped up some of the brightly colored squash soup with his spoon. He couldn't deny the smell. It was to simply die for…Did Al just smile at him? Those eyes never seemed to swap faces….
/
"So, what about Rae? Can she help you guys or not?" Bb took a sip of water and tried to pay close attention to the mini lecture.
"We have a theory; that with our magic combined, we can block the channels and nullify the effects of the serum to a degree. Though he will heal, but it won't be as quick as before. The lightest he can have is a scratch or a broken arm at times."
"So…. what about, dying?" Starfire wasn't sure why she'd said that. Yet, if now that Robin was…impervious to suffering as he had a normal hero, what would this tactic imply?
"He can die if that's the case, or only if he's hit with a way to shatter himself and gain a grave injury…as Slade made that perfectly clear." John narrowed his eyes at the memory of that masked prick's face.
"Can we not talk about Slade for like, five minutes? That guy really gets me mad! He ruined Robin…and he even hurt everyone at this table."
"Speaking of everyone, where are friends Speedy and Wallace?"
"They went back to their respected cities. Roy has to see about Ollie's recovery, and KF is…still in mourning."
"They stuck around for him…those two dudes were awesome to hang with…" Sniffed BB with a sigh.
Alfred noticed how the team's youngest member seemed lose his spark. He nodded to Bruce and stepped back over to lean down and distract the tired-out Titans from their troubles.
"Ah, well I made a "proper" vegan dish or two this time, just for yourself, Master L –
"Ah, yeah…. It's super…. really, not bad…but I have to wrap it up for later…Sorry, Mr. Pennyworth…" B's youthful, bug eyes stared at the plate, as if donating gold to a place that didn't deserve it.
"There is truly no need to apologize this very moment, I'd be happy to do just that for you." Al understood as these faces made him want to hop off to his bed after all the dishes had been cleared. "Still, I do hope the bread rolls will keep long enough for your teammates to enjoy them."
"We'll be sure to save them a ton!" Bb's face lit up as his hope had slowly returned by the promise of a shared meal among friends. "Count on it, right?"
/
Noted; it was late afternoon when Dick went to see Slade, but they fought the day before on the roof of Wayne enterprises in the previous chapter to stop Trigon from getting loose. Ah, so!
(Also, vegetarian diets can use dairy sometimes (my mom was one in the seventies, different rules) so vegan is to using none whatsoever in Bb's case, as Al kindly points out.)
Slade rigged Dick's "Martyr" suit?? – oh! Ehem. Remember when Slade tormented Lex Luthor when he barged into the man's office in Epilogue Story "rated M" ver? Well, go read it to fill you in or I will here, either way. So. Slade came to get his Ikon suit that was denied to him because F.Y.I, Lex is aware Slade is a bit of a con man too, so they can't get enough of each other.
As I was…. So! Dick's suit is made from (made up and based on actually "Kaijudo rise of the duel masters" with Alison not being able to take off "the cloak of dark illusion" since a part of her wants it on.) Nth metal in this story that has a component that is alien in nature. (Not akin to the comic's same reaction to human flesh. Om nom.) He was the latest test dummy, but Slade made sure to see if Dick's vitals fit the bill and would be compatible with a suit like his, as well. Clothes make the anti – hero? Eh?
Slade doesn't however in any way fuse to his suit, but in my case for poor Dick, it's just for the drama. Also, a chapter before Slade said "you wear your mask even when you sleep," and "you are becoming something better??" Brainwashing a bit drastic there, Wilson… Yipes!
As if he'd love to just get back to the world as the famed, Dick Grayson, but poor Robin can't. Why? He's now a super soldier with a lot of daddy issues, that's why. Bruce is treating him like an Arkham inmate and he's fighting back. Slade made him ticked off intentionally, but on that same note logically, Slade may know how to get the suit off without having to have Robin be humiliated as a lab rat in his own home.
Scratch that. He's a lab rat in Slade's house too.
Dick wants to open up, but a part of his brain is saying if he does, he'll be subjected to further testing and never be a hero again. "Fear is strong with this one."
PTSD basically, fight or flight due to post - experiences.
What about what Raven found out about how to remove the suit? He has to want to; due to it being a part of him only until it can no longer merge with him by both will and compatibility, he has to really go zen to get the thing to let go. And for the final touch? His new abilities.
Precognition is more Rose Wilson's thing than Slade's in the later comics, but they both have Slade's curse to bear. You two can share just fine. Attention hogs…sheesh!
Slade's anagram is a real example of one, no kidding. Looked it up. The word "shattered" was to trigger the heroes' responses mentally. More a Joker vibe when you think about it, but it was that one word that "shattered" a young man and crime fighter's resolve to have him "go ape."
So, yeah. Slade won that round.
And lastly, the powers once more! Slade's not a fan of magic even though it is a tool for him to have what he wants, like stealing Trigon's magic if he had – While in Redemption arc, he does succeed and it's enough to curdle your lucky charms!
Ah, dunno. Still, Richard's not aware of why John came to help or that Bruce still has more tricks up his sleeves. Robin is solely dependent on the man until he can stand to stand in the "limelight," once more.
Starfire also asked an interesting question. If his extra abilities are reduced in effect or nullified for as long as the magicians' (plural) spell holds, will he be able to die and how hurt does Robin have to be to call forth, death?
Would they even want to know? Ah, so this ties into later episodes of the show. Notice how Robin can live through any pain and heals up super quickly (to refer to this working into our plot,) then what if that's why? He and the team eventually were scolded by Wayne after the apprenticeship. It's too easy not to think it. BUT what if they stayed at the manor and made sure to get right back on track? In this case, the writer decrees that they must! And heck, they probably had more than bacitracin in that DC Murakami future -universe.
He gets a shot of something and super heals in that moment. They all must have futuristic medicine, is my guess. I did run that through with a chapter of my "Snippets Galore" series. Dick is saved by Slade but the injection he gets is too powerful and gives him Slade's abilities "by mistake." Hard to think that Slade is giving his blood to his frenemy while being on good terms at all! Go read the four plus chapters; comes out of the later new gen part one series when Dick goes to Bludhaven and takes on his career with Roku's shadow hounding him to go bad cop all the way. Turns out he had a dark side, but Slade was the one who tried to stop his fun before it went over the heroes' heads. Will get into that later.
Back on track!
So, for a few weeks, Dick will be getting better; enough to be a Titan again, and then the suit might finally go bye – bye without Slade being able to say a word about his master plan failing. He might also show up into the Nightwing timeline.
Oh, Boy Wonder. Your universe is so easy but super fun to manipulate!
I'm giving away too much! Just read on and stay curious for a big fat FIN, folks! Hope you enjoyed! Waiting till chapter 21 to call it quits!
