Trophies and Treasures.
Chapter Two
"How could I have lost?" Were the words running through the defeated Cyborg's head. He had wandered aimlessly back to the tower after Atlas had gone and taken his friends. He found that it was impossible to concentrate in the Tower, however. The place was stonily and forbiddingly silent, absent was the glad cries of Starfire when she had created a note-worthy dish. At the reminder of the friend he would never see, he stared dejectedly at the floor. "They were counting on me." He said slowly, then stared at the little monitor that displayed his power usage. "I gave one hundred percent, and it wasn't enough."
A ghost of Cyborg glared at himself. "So you're just going to sit here and do nothing, while that creep takes it out on your friends?! C'mon man, I thought you were better than that!"
"I was. Now, I'm only half robot." Cyborg responded morosely. "But you're half human too. And that's the part you need to beat him with." The other Cyborg said, reasonably and calmly to the depressed Titan. Cyborg glanced at his alter-ego, then nodded silently, thinking slowly. "I have to try again, and this time, I'll give it more." He said, slightly in awe of himself. Just because he was only half-human doesn't mean that he was going to let some robot make mincemeat out of his friends. 'This is for them.' He thought steadily, then went to recharge his batteries and do some needed repairs.
Robin had been silently staring at his comrades since the robot had left. He knew that the robot had no code of honor, but had been surprised and a little scared when the thing had said that they would be kept. He also knew that the Titans weren't one for cages, Starfire especially. She was a free thing, but kept in a cage for too long, and her emotions might become too much for her. He thought silently, if the joy of flight brought on the power to fly, and righteous fury brought out the starbolts, what would hatred and anger bring out? Robin didn't want to find out.
"Hey, are we gonna get any food?" Called Beastboy, as his stomach erupted into loud growls again. Raven shook her head disapprovingly, and then straightened her back, as she continued her inaudible chanting to focus her emotions and various energies. She hovered in the air, her cape hanging below her. Beastboy changed into various animals to amuse himself, finally settling on a green camel to try and stave the hunger he felt. Starfire was sitting calmly on the floor, though her face showed her hopelessness. She played with her hands, and twiddled her thumbs to pass the annoying amount of time the Titans possessed in their cages of yellow spheres. Robin glanced at Starfire, but looked away when the human known as 'Mechanic' entered the stony room below the dilapidated sports arena that Atlas used to fight his opponents who actually beat him online. Needless to say, it could use some new decorations. The human opened a small hole in the cage of Raven first, and inserted a tray of pellets, which the Titans all looked at with disgust, those who were looking at the food. Beastboy trumpeted his rage in his normal form.
"What the heck is that?" he asked, pointing at Raven's tray.
"That's food. You eat it." Mechanic said, looking at Beastboy in disgust, while the green changeling looked readily in turn at the human.
"You should be helping us." Robin said. "You're human too. Why does Atlas treat you like garbage?" The two looked at the doorway as Atlas walked in, and settled in his chair. He turned the chair around so that he was viewing his prizes, not the Internet screen.
"Mechanic!" barked the robot.
"Yes, Master?" questioned the mechanic in his New York drawl.
"Leave us." He said in a cold, commanding voice. Beastboy sniggered quietly.
"Ooh. Frostbite!"
The yellow and red Atlas ignored Beastboy's attempts at humor in such a situation, and Robin focused on the one who held them captive.
"What do you want from us?" he asked in an authoritative voice.
"Ah, so the leader speaks," Atlas said as Robin scowled. "You do not send your human to do battle with me today? Well, battles can be forged in different ways." He said chillingly, staring at the green eyed Tamaranian, who gave look for look from Atlas as she sat on the floor. His eyes narrowed, and he reached a metallic hand out.
"Round two, up!" yelled a loud, raucous voice. All four beings in the room stared up at the newly emerged Cyborg, who had blown a hole in the ceiling. He stood, shadowed in the fading light, as the arena lights automatically switched on. "It's payback time you chunk of scrap."
Thank you for the wonderful, encouraging reviews. You know who you are. I do not own anything in this story except for the plot. The characters belong to their own respected owners.
Chapter Two
"How could I have lost?" Were the words running through the defeated Cyborg's head. He had wandered aimlessly back to the tower after Atlas had gone and taken his friends. He found that it was impossible to concentrate in the Tower, however. The place was stonily and forbiddingly silent, absent was the glad cries of Starfire when she had created a note-worthy dish. At the reminder of the friend he would never see, he stared dejectedly at the floor. "They were counting on me." He said slowly, then stared at the little monitor that displayed his power usage. "I gave one hundred percent, and it wasn't enough."
A ghost of Cyborg glared at himself. "So you're just going to sit here and do nothing, while that creep takes it out on your friends?! C'mon man, I thought you were better than that!"
"I was. Now, I'm only half robot." Cyborg responded morosely. "But you're half human too. And that's the part you need to beat him with." The other Cyborg said, reasonably and calmly to the depressed Titan. Cyborg glanced at his alter-ego, then nodded silently, thinking slowly. "I have to try again, and this time, I'll give it more." He said, slightly in awe of himself. Just because he was only half-human doesn't mean that he was going to let some robot make mincemeat out of his friends. 'This is for them.' He thought steadily, then went to recharge his batteries and do some needed repairs.
Robin had been silently staring at his comrades since the robot had left. He knew that the robot had no code of honor, but had been surprised and a little scared when the thing had said that they would be kept. He also knew that the Titans weren't one for cages, Starfire especially. She was a free thing, but kept in a cage for too long, and her emotions might become too much for her. He thought silently, if the joy of flight brought on the power to fly, and righteous fury brought out the starbolts, what would hatred and anger bring out? Robin didn't want to find out.
"Hey, are we gonna get any food?" Called Beastboy, as his stomach erupted into loud growls again. Raven shook her head disapprovingly, and then straightened her back, as she continued her inaudible chanting to focus her emotions and various energies. She hovered in the air, her cape hanging below her. Beastboy changed into various animals to amuse himself, finally settling on a green camel to try and stave the hunger he felt. Starfire was sitting calmly on the floor, though her face showed her hopelessness. She played with her hands, and twiddled her thumbs to pass the annoying amount of time the Titans possessed in their cages of yellow spheres. Robin glanced at Starfire, but looked away when the human known as 'Mechanic' entered the stony room below the dilapidated sports arena that Atlas used to fight his opponents who actually beat him online. Needless to say, it could use some new decorations. The human opened a small hole in the cage of Raven first, and inserted a tray of pellets, which the Titans all looked at with disgust, those who were looking at the food. Beastboy trumpeted his rage in his normal form.
"What the heck is that?" he asked, pointing at Raven's tray.
"That's food. You eat it." Mechanic said, looking at Beastboy in disgust, while the green changeling looked readily in turn at the human.
"You should be helping us." Robin said. "You're human too. Why does Atlas treat you like garbage?" The two looked at the doorway as Atlas walked in, and settled in his chair. He turned the chair around so that he was viewing his prizes, not the Internet screen.
"Mechanic!" barked the robot.
"Yes, Master?" questioned the mechanic in his New York drawl.
"Leave us." He said in a cold, commanding voice. Beastboy sniggered quietly.
"Ooh. Frostbite!"
The yellow and red Atlas ignored Beastboy's attempts at humor in such a situation, and Robin focused on the one who held them captive.
"What do you want from us?" he asked in an authoritative voice.
"Ah, so the leader speaks," Atlas said as Robin scowled. "You do not send your human to do battle with me today? Well, battles can be forged in different ways." He said chillingly, staring at the green eyed Tamaranian, who gave look for look from Atlas as she sat on the floor. His eyes narrowed, and he reached a metallic hand out.
"Round two, up!" yelled a loud, raucous voice. All four beings in the room stared up at the newly emerged Cyborg, who had blown a hole in the ceiling. He stood, shadowed in the fading light, as the arena lights automatically switched on. "It's payback time you chunk of scrap."
Thank you for the wonderful, encouraging reviews. You know who you are. I do not own anything in this story except for the plot. The characters belong to their own respected owners.