Katie Mae: Well, here we go with the disclaimer. Like I said in the last chapter, I don't own the Teen Titans.
(Starfire enters, dragging behind her Robin, who is still tied to the chair. Robin now has makeup on, and a long black wig)
Starfire: Katie Mae, I have arrived with Robin.
Katie Mae: Great! And I think I have the perfect dress for him.
(Katie Mae produces a short, slinky black dress. Starfire takes Robin behind a screen. They reappear a few moments later, with Robin untied and wearing the dress.)
Katie Mae: O_O How'd you do it?
Robin: (à la "The Godfather") She made me an offer I couldn't refuse. (wiggles eyebrows suggestively)
Starfire: (slaps Robin on the head) That is not true, Robin, and you know it.
Katie Mae: Well, while those two argue, I'll go ahead and start the next chapter.
Slade Revealed!
Chapter Two
At exactly midnight, Robin arrived on the roof of the Jump City First National Bank, eager for his final showdown against Slade. He looked around carefully, wary of any and all movement. Suddenly, he heard the roof access door open. He jerked his head around to see Slade standing in the doorway, mask firmly in place.
"Good morning, Robin," Slade's cold voice rang out through the night. "I'm glad you could make it."
"Enough talk. Let's get this over with." With that, Robin leaped into the air, ready to attack.
Slade moved out of the way just in time, causing Robin to slam into the now closed door. Robin quickly recovered and began fighting Slade in hand-to-hand combat. Very soon, Robin realized something that had been bothering him ever since his first encounter with Slade: he seemed to be able to match Robin move for move. It was as if Slade had studied Robin's techniques; either that, or he was someone Robin knew.
"Well well, the birdy has grown since last time we fought."
"Shut up." Robin tensed, ready to deliver a jaw-shattering blow. But he was stopped before he had the chance to deliver it; Slade had blocked his hand as if it were a nuisance rather than a threat.
"Who are you?" Robin asked. Slade replied by sucker-punching him in the stomach, causing him to fall to the ground in pain.
"Who are you?" Robin asked again, this time more insistent. Slade simply sent him flying with a sharp kick to the chest.
"WHO ARE YOU?!?" Robin yelled.
"You know who I am," Slade said quietly in a voice that was vaguely familiar to Robin.
Suddenly, something in Robin's head clicked into place and solved the puzzle. In one swift motion, he reached up and removed Slade's mask, revealing dark hair and familiar eyes.
Bruce Wayne's face stared back at Robin's.
"Bruce? It was you the whole time?"
"I had to keep an eye on you somehow."
"But...why? Why did you pretend to be a villain?"
"Because I know you, Dick. I knew that if I had showed up as Batman, you would have been resentful and obstinate. This way, I was able to monitor your progress without your personal feelings for me getting in the way."
"Wow."
"Well, since you know my secret, why don't you tell me all about this Tamaranian girl?"
"Starfire?"
"Yes. Is she a good friend of yours?"
"You could say that."
Bruce and Robin walked toward the roof access door. Robin told Bruce all about the happenings at Titan's Tower, while Bruce filled Robin in on Barbara and Alfred's conditions.
"Hey, Bruce?" Robin asked suddenly. "What do you think reality is?"
Bruce smiled sagely. "Reality...hmm...reality is whatever we want it to be."
Robin returned with a smile of his own. "That's exactly what I thought you'd say."
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The Titans all centered in on the Jump City First National Bank, being it was the only place they had yet to look for Robin. As they neared the building, they noticed two strange things: first, Slade was maskless; second, he and Robin were talking as though they were chummy.
"Yo, Robin, what's going on?" Cyborg asked as Raven and Starfire put him down.
"Oh, hey guys. I'd like you to meet someone. This is Slade, also known as Bruce Wayne."
"You're Bruce Wayne? As in Batman?" Beast Boy questioned incredulously.
"It's very nice to meet you," Bruce replied, extending a hand. Beast Boy grasped it timidly, but became bolder when he realized he wasn't going to be punched, kicked or otherwise harmed.
"Robin has told us much about you," Starfire said, her voice filled with awe. "He has said that you were a great mentor to him when he was younger."
"Well, it's nice to hear I've been so well reviewed."
"Why don't we all get back to the Tower? You can explain things some more once we get there," Robin suggested.
"That sounds like a great idea. I'd like to see how the teenage heroes live."
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"Well, that's about it," Bruce said. He had just finished explaining how he had managed to live as Slade while still protecting Gotham City as Batman. He had also told them of the money he had spent on Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth in order to get himself noticed by the Titans.
"So, if all you wanted to do was keep an eye on Robin, why'd you do the whole villain thing?" Raven asked.
Oh," Bruce blushed slightly. "Well, I'd always wanted to know what was so appealing about villainy, so I decided to live the life of a rich 'bad guy'. But it ended up coming in handy, because my experience and alter ego as Slade helped me to catch a criminal that had been terrorizing Gotham. It was one of my fellow millionaires, who had gone bad for real. I believe his name was Monsieur Supérieur Père Unfortunately, I think he paid the bail money, and he and his son have fled the country."
"Oh. So what's gonna happen to them?" Beast Boy queried.
"I couldn't tell you. I can only hope that someone will capture them and put them behind bars permanently."
The Titans all nodded in agreement. Bruce suddenly looked at his watch. "Oh my. It's already past two. I think you all should be in bed. You're too young to be pulling all-nighters as much as you have been. Leave that to the creatures of the night."
All of the teens chuckled at the joke. Bruce stood and walked toward the door. As he passed Robin, he said under his breath, "Never forget the most important fight."
Robin nodded mutely and watched him as he walked out the door. He didn't move until he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.
"Robin? Are you coming to bed?" Starfire asked. Her tone was innocent, but the sudden thought that popped into Robin's head made him blush.
"In a minute, Star."
"All right." She flew out of the kitchen and down the hallway. Robin stared at the door a moment longer, reminiscing over all of the excitement he had shared with Bruce. As he walked out of the kitchen, he let something fall to the floor; something that he hadn't even realized he had been holding.
The next morning, Raven walked into the kitchen to make her usual cup of herbal tea. But as she entered, she saw Slade's mask lying, forgotten, on the floor.
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Katie Mae: Wow. That was powerful there at the end.
Robin: You mean, Slade is actually Bruce?
Katie Mae: I dunno. I just happen to think so.
Starfire: (who happens to be sitting on Robin's lap) That would be a very interesting turn of events, would it not?
Katie Mae: *turns to the readers* Well, how many of you were expecting that, huh? Oh, and by the way, Monsieur Supérieur Père is a direct play off of Señor Senior Sr. from the TV show Kim Possible. I wanted to leave that open, because I'm thinking of perhaps doing a story about it. Leave a review and tell me what you think, okay?
R&R!!!
