Chapter four, ready for liftoff.
I don't own Teen Titans. Never had or will.
Robin walked back into the tower, and everyone but Scalpel followed. He turned and walked towards the water, completely silent. Starfire turned to tell him to come along, and noticed him walking away. She flew after him, and landed on a small piece of rock next to him. "Is everything all right, friend?"
Picking up a stone, Scalpel studied it closely. "Yeah, I'm fine. Actually, I feel less worried than I ever have. Thanks to you guys." He tossed the stone up into the air a few times, then chucked it. It flew a fair distance before landing with a "splunk" in the bay. Starfire looked at him. "You seem lonely. In need of a friend." She was surprised when he laughed.
"You're right. I've wanted a friend… no, a family. That's what I've wanted. I lost my real one so long ago I can't remember them…."
Starfire put her hand near his. "I am sorry………"
He looked at her, and smiled sadly. "Don't be. I managed 10 years of my life alone……… And I survived. Barely, but I did it." He looked back across the bay. "I don't know how I did it, really. Surviving alone. It was almost impossible. I really don't know." Lying back, he rested his head against the ground and looked up into the cloudless sky. "I guess it was almost a miracle that the agency chose me. I felt like I belonged. I felt like I fit in." He looked over at her. "And there was also Dracarious. He was my mentor. Barely into his twenties. He had a scar on his cheek……… When his rival tried to kill him in a duel. The sword left a moon-shaped mark. It happened when I was halfway through my training. It changed him… He seemed harsher, less prone to failure. He never thought it was good enough…. Even when I pushed with all my stamina. He began injecting me with chemicals, trying to make me the perfect soldier. He wanted more. He pushed me to my limit. That's how I developed this." Looking past her, a piece of metal flew into the air, a piece of wreckage from when he ran the obstacle course. It landed in the ground behind him, and he opened his eyes. "It was because of him that I ran away. I couldn't take it anymore. His constant shouting……… The gleam in his eyes……… I think he was driven mad. And I feared for my life." He looked at her again, his black hair falling around his eyes. "Thank you for taking me in. I'm glad………"
Starfire smiled. "It is no problem. We are glad to have you as part of our group."
Scalpel smiled. "Thanks."
Later…….
Scalpel sighed and stripped off his shirt. Preparing for a shower, he thought of what had happened earlier. How had he, a test subject, come to be part of the most well-known superhero team? It was unthinkable. But it had happened.
As he let the warm water flow over him, he began to reflect on his past. How Dracarious had found him. How he had taught him about fighting, shooting……… and killing. How he had sent him on all of those missions. How he had done the things he had done. He sighed again. As he shut off the water and stepped out, he heard the door. "Scalpel, are you alright?" Suddenly, he found himself face to face with Starfire, without anything on, even a towel. Blushing, he covered himself up. "Hi?"