Chapter III: The Demon Within
Robin woke early the next morning to find Starfire wrapped around him. Robin wanted to get an update on the computer in the bat cave, but he didn't want to wake Starfire up. So he contented himself with lying there. Until Robin had to go. Then he really couldn't lie there anymore. So, Robin gently moved Starfire off of him, and she stayed asleep. Robin closed the door behind him, and made it to the bathroom just in time.
After his little panic moment, Robin went down to the computer. As usual, Batman had beaten him to it, and was going through stuff at the speed of light.
"Did you two sleep well together?" Batman asked in a blank tone. Robin blushed.
"Why do you care?" Robin asked, but immediately wished he didn't. He had just hit Batman's sore spot. Batman kept silent, so they continued looking at the screen.
"I'm worried about your team mates," Batman continued.
"Why?" Robin asked.
Before Batman could answer, the rest of the Teen Titans came down the stairs. Batman held his thought.
"Greetings Robin," Starfire said, hugging (and most likely choking) Robin.
"Hello Starfire," Robin answered back.
"So, what are we going to do today?" Raven asked. Robin and Batman gave the same answer at once.
"Train," they said together, and then glared at each other. Cyborg seemed to find this amusing.
"Robin, you sure he isn't your long lost twin?" Cyborg cracked. Robin glared at Cyborg, and then led the team out onto a field.
"How are we supposed to train here?" Beast Boy asked. Robin pulled out a remote control, and pressed a red button. Out of the ground rose a gym, one that could keep anyone busy for months on level 1. Cyborg instantly called weights, and found he had trouble lifting level 2. Beast Boy took the treadmill, and Raven lifted using her mind. Robin and Starfire started to spar.
Starfire shot up in the air, and threw starbolts at Robin. He dodged them easily. Starfire continued to shoot at Robin, while Robin dodged them. Suddenly Starfire changed her form of attack, and flew in Robin's face. Catching the Boy Wonder by surprise, Starfire sent a starbolt at him. It knocked Robin back, and he landed on his back. Robin jumped up, and found Starfire charging him. Robin braced himself, then jumped over her and caught her arms. While she was stronger than him by ten times, he had her in a pinning position.
"What are ya gonna do now?" Robin asked, a grin and his face. Starfire hesitated, and then gave him an impish smile. She kicked him in the power zone, and Robin dropped to the ground, groaning in pain. Starfire's face softened, and she knelt next to him.
"Friend Robin, I am sorry," Starfire said, trying to help him up.
Robin grabbed her hand and said, "Don't worry; that was a good kick." Starfire smiled and kissed him on the forehead.
Batman stood afar, watching the entire thing. Robin, you can be such an idiot at times, Batman thought to himself. He looked down at his wrist. He listened to a radio connection, and called out, "Your opponent has been reported waiting for you at the downtown mall. Instantly, Robin's pain was forgotten, and the Teen Titans followed Robin. Robin knew Gotham city by heart, and led the way there quickly.
Sure enough, Slade was standing in the middle of the street, a smoking mall next to him. There wasn't any fire; it had been a smoke bomb. The Teen Titans stopped twenty feet short of him.
"Ah, my apprentice. It's nice to see you again," Slade remarked in his ever cold drawl.
"Shut up, Slade!" Robin yelled back. He took out two birdarangs, and the others prepared for combat.
"Ah, you are forgetting your manners. But since you will be working for me soon, I suppose you all can meet my pet. Come here," Slade called to someone behind him. Out of the smoke, a creature came out on all fours. It was wearing a tattered, black cloak, with torn black clothing. Pure red shone from its eyes.
"Fayrii!" Starfire screamed. Robin felt fear from her and grabbed her hand.
"So you have seen my pet before, haven't you? He is a skilled murdered and very loyal for his age. It is a shame he doesn't have any long- range attacks or the knowledge to use a gun," Slade threw at them. Starfire was crying and mumbling Fayrii's name under her breath. She had taken care of him like a son once.
At least he doesn't know of Fayrii's magic and psychic powers, Robin thought. He looked at the other Titans. They all seemed hesitant to attack him, as was he, but everyone was scared of Fayrii attacking them. Fayrii stronger in one hand than all the Titans put together.
"My pet," Slade started. Fayrii looked up at Slade with red gleaming eyes. "Knock them all out and bring them to me." Fayrii turned to the titans. It was at this point that Robin saw a stab point where Slade must have inserted chemicals into Fayrii's body.
Fayrii ran at the Titans on all fours. "Titans, defend yourselves!" Robin yelled. They all split up on the street. Fayrii stopped, looked around, and came after Cyborg. Cyborg shot his plasma cannon at Fayrii. It smashed into him, but only dazed him for a second. Fayrii jumped up and grabbed Cyborg with his hands, then rolling on his back, kicking Cyborg behind him and into a wall with excessive force. Fayrii rolled on his feet, and was ran into by a Beast Boy in dinosaur form.
Fayrii flew ten feet, and then caught himself. Fayrii jumped up and landed on Beast Boy's back. Then he shredded at him with his claws.
Beast Boy turned back to normal and yelled in pain, before Fayrii hit him over the head with his tail. Raven's eyes widened and her temper got the better of her.
"Azurath Metrion Zinthus!" Raven shouted, and wrapped up Fayrii in psychic energy, squeezing him tighter and tighter. Fayrii's passive psychic defenses came to boot, and Raven's black psychic was overrun by Fayrii's blue psychic. The blue wave ran up and into Raven's brain, rendering her unconscious.
Starbolts smashed into Fayrii. He looked up through smoke and saw Starfire crying with two starbolts in her hands. "Fayrii I do not want to hurt you but I will if I must!" she shouted at him. Robin saw the dark glare in Fayrii's eyes and realized how much danger she was in. Fayrii ran to her, and Robin jumped on him. Fayrii threw Robin to the side. Starfire tried to move out of the way as Fayrii jumped at her. She didn't move fast enough.
Fayrii's claws went through her shoulder as he passed by. Starfire fell to the ground and screamed in pain. She put her hand on her bloody shoulder. Yet Robin had felt everything she had, and to him, it felt just as real. Robin couldn't help but grab his shoulder and yell in pain at the same time, catching Slade and his 'pet' by surprise.
Fayrii sat on the ground trying to figure out which one he'd attacked. Slade's eyes opened, and he wondered why Robin had been in pain when Starfire had been attacked.
"Come here, pet. You have done enough," Slade called wanting to watch to see what happened. Fayrii came jogging over, simple doing as his master told.
A shadow flew through the sky, and it knocked into Slade, throwing him into a wall. Batman jumped down and ran for Robin. Fayrii growled and charged at Batman. Batman felt Fayrii's claws rip at his legs before Batman turned around and kicked him in the face. Fayrii was dazed a second, and Batman threw a smoke bomb at Fayrii. Fayrii closed his eyes, and when the smoke cleared, the dark one and the other people were gone. Fayrii walked over to Slade (A/N: Please remember that Fayrii thinks he's an animal) and sat next to him, while Slade got up.
"Come, my pet, I want to go my lair and figure this out," Slade said, and his obedient pet followed him.
Robin saw his master come and take them home. Batman laid the three knocked out Titans on the ground, treated Starfire, Beast Boy, and himself, then picked up his apprentice and his girlfriend (in his mind, maybe not theirs), and glared at them.
"Alright, what's going on?" he asked, maybe a bit too harshly.
"Can we be put down?" Robin grunted, still holding his shoulder slightly. Starfire felt scared to death. Batman hesitated, then put them down on a bench. He poured hot chocolate for them, and asked again.
"Why did you feel it when that...enemy attacked her?!" he requested. Robin hesitated, and then let Starfire rest on his shoulder while he explained a trip they had had in a different dimension (Of Love and Devotion). Batman waited for them to finish, then asked his questions.
"So you two are linked together?" Batman asked. Robin and Starfire nodded.
"Robin feels everything you do and senses where you are?" he questioned Starfire.
"Yes," Starfire said.
"And you've met that Fayrii before as a friend. Why would he attack you?"
Starfire put her head down. Robin replied, "I saw a needle hole where Slade must have injected chemicals into him."
Batman walked over to his computer and did a search. When the result came up, Batman slammed his fist down hard on his desk.
"THAT...EXCUSE FOR A SON OF A BITCH!" Batman yelled, waking up Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg. They heard what he said and stood up, the five of them walking up to the computer.
"What is it?" Robin asked. The computer showed a blue liquid.
"He's using a chemical that induces mind control! That's why your friend thinks he's a pet!" Batman shouted at no one. Robin felt shock and sadness from Starfire. He put his arm around her.
"Another thing," Batman said calmly, turning around, "I'm not sure you five are ready to go head-to-head anyway. It's been two years since you fought as a team, meaning your skills are very rusty. While it's true that I doubt any of you could fight Fayrii to begin with, you still need to warm up. Right now, you've forgotten how to fight."
The Titans stood silently, knowing that he was right. Then Cyborg shouted, "Well I think we do know how to fight, we just aren't ourselves right now, and none of us have been for two years. And that why, to get back to normal, we have to be what we were back then!"
"That's exactly what I said, just more riddle-like."
"Oh."
"That's also why you four should go look outside. We sit right now next to the sea. And there was an island out there..."
The Titans were already outside before he could finish. There, on an island just like the other, was the Titan Tower, fully restored.
"Just don't break anything. It cost a lot to move it all the way over here," Batman shouted. This just made them happier. It was the original tower, just moved somewhere else. The Titans ran in. Cyborg and Beast Boy started playing the game station, Raven picked up a book, and Robin and Starfire helped move Robin's stuff into Starfire's room. When they were done, the two fell asleep on the bed.
In Slade's lair, he was talking to himself, "I understand your secret, Robin. And this time I'm not just aiming for you; I'm going to put all the Titans on my side."
Robin woke early the next morning to find Starfire wrapped around him. Robin wanted to get an update on the computer in the bat cave, but he didn't want to wake Starfire up. So he contented himself with lying there. Until Robin had to go. Then he really couldn't lie there anymore. So, Robin gently moved Starfire off of him, and she stayed asleep. Robin closed the door behind him, and made it to the bathroom just in time.
After his little panic moment, Robin went down to the computer. As usual, Batman had beaten him to it, and was going through stuff at the speed of light.
"Did you two sleep well together?" Batman asked in a blank tone. Robin blushed.
"Why do you care?" Robin asked, but immediately wished he didn't. He had just hit Batman's sore spot. Batman kept silent, so they continued looking at the screen.
"I'm worried about your team mates," Batman continued.
"Why?" Robin asked.
Before Batman could answer, the rest of the Teen Titans came down the stairs. Batman held his thought.
"Greetings Robin," Starfire said, hugging (and most likely choking) Robin.
"Hello Starfire," Robin answered back.
"So, what are we going to do today?" Raven asked. Robin and Batman gave the same answer at once.
"Train," they said together, and then glared at each other. Cyborg seemed to find this amusing.
"Robin, you sure he isn't your long lost twin?" Cyborg cracked. Robin glared at Cyborg, and then led the team out onto a field.
"How are we supposed to train here?" Beast Boy asked. Robin pulled out a remote control, and pressed a red button. Out of the ground rose a gym, one that could keep anyone busy for months on level 1. Cyborg instantly called weights, and found he had trouble lifting level 2. Beast Boy took the treadmill, and Raven lifted using her mind. Robin and Starfire started to spar.
Starfire shot up in the air, and threw starbolts at Robin. He dodged them easily. Starfire continued to shoot at Robin, while Robin dodged them. Suddenly Starfire changed her form of attack, and flew in Robin's face. Catching the Boy Wonder by surprise, Starfire sent a starbolt at him. It knocked Robin back, and he landed on his back. Robin jumped up, and found Starfire charging him. Robin braced himself, then jumped over her and caught her arms. While she was stronger than him by ten times, he had her in a pinning position.
"What are ya gonna do now?" Robin asked, a grin and his face. Starfire hesitated, and then gave him an impish smile. She kicked him in the power zone, and Robin dropped to the ground, groaning in pain. Starfire's face softened, and she knelt next to him.
"Friend Robin, I am sorry," Starfire said, trying to help him up.
Robin grabbed her hand and said, "Don't worry; that was a good kick." Starfire smiled and kissed him on the forehead.
Batman stood afar, watching the entire thing. Robin, you can be such an idiot at times, Batman thought to himself. He looked down at his wrist. He listened to a radio connection, and called out, "Your opponent has been reported waiting for you at the downtown mall. Instantly, Robin's pain was forgotten, and the Teen Titans followed Robin. Robin knew Gotham city by heart, and led the way there quickly.
Sure enough, Slade was standing in the middle of the street, a smoking mall next to him. There wasn't any fire; it had been a smoke bomb. The Teen Titans stopped twenty feet short of him.
"Ah, my apprentice. It's nice to see you again," Slade remarked in his ever cold drawl.
"Shut up, Slade!" Robin yelled back. He took out two birdarangs, and the others prepared for combat.
"Ah, you are forgetting your manners. But since you will be working for me soon, I suppose you all can meet my pet. Come here," Slade called to someone behind him. Out of the smoke, a creature came out on all fours. It was wearing a tattered, black cloak, with torn black clothing. Pure red shone from its eyes.
"Fayrii!" Starfire screamed. Robin felt fear from her and grabbed her hand.
"So you have seen my pet before, haven't you? He is a skilled murdered and very loyal for his age. It is a shame he doesn't have any long- range attacks or the knowledge to use a gun," Slade threw at them. Starfire was crying and mumbling Fayrii's name under her breath. She had taken care of him like a son once.
At least he doesn't know of Fayrii's magic and psychic powers, Robin thought. He looked at the other Titans. They all seemed hesitant to attack him, as was he, but everyone was scared of Fayrii attacking them. Fayrii stronger in one hand than all the Titans put together.
"My pet," Slade started. Fayrii looked up at Slade with red gleaming eyes. "Knock them all out and bring them to me." Fayrii turned to the titans. It was at this point that Robin saw a stab point where Slade must have inserted chemicals into Fayrii's body.
Fayrii ran at the Titans on all fours. "Titans, defend yourselves!" Robin yelled. They all split up on the street. Fayrii stopped, looked around, and came after Cyborg. Cyborg shot his plasma cannon at Fayrii. It smashed into him, but only dazed him for a second. Fayrii jumped up and grabbed Cyborg with his hands, then rolling on his back, kicking Cyborg behind him and into a wall with excessive force. Fayrii rolled on his feet, and was ran into by a Beast Boy in dinosaur form.
Fayrii flew ten feet, and then caught himself. Fayrii jumped up and landed on Beast Boy's back. Then he shredded at him with his claws.
Beast Boy turned back to normal and yelled in pain, before Fayrii hit him over the head with his tail. Raven's eyes widened and her temper got the better of her.
"Azurath Metrion Zinthus!" Raven shouted, and wrapped up Fayrii in psychic energy, squeezing him tighter and tighter. Fayrii's passive psychic defenses came to boot, and Raven's black psychic was overrun by Fayrii's blue psychic. The blue wave ran up and into Raven's brain, rendering her unconscious.
Starbolts smashed into Fayrii. He looked up through smoke and saw Starfire crying with two starbolts in her hands. "Fayrii I do not want to hurt you but I will if I must!" she shouted at him. Robin saw the dark glare in Fayrii's eyes and realized how much danger she was in. Fayrii ran to her, and Robin jumped on him. Fayrii threw Robin to the side. Starfire tried to move out of the way as Fayrii jumped at her. She didn't move fast enough.
Fayrii's claws went through her shoulder as he passed by. Starfire fell to the ground and screamed in pain. She put her hand on her bloody shoulder. Yet Robin had felt everything she had, and to him, it felt just as real. Robin couldn't help but grab his shoulder and yell in pain at the same time, catching Slade and his 'pet' by surprise.
Fayrii sat on the ground trying to figure out which one he'd attacked. Slade's eyes opened, and he wondered why Robin had been in pain when Starfire had been attacked.
"Come here, pet. You have done enough," Slade called wanting to watch to see what happened. Fayrii came jogging over, simple doing as his master told.
A shadow flew through the sky, and it knocked into Slade, throwing him into a wall. Batman jumped down and ran for Robin. Fayrii growled and charged at Batman. Batman felt Fayrii's claws rip at his legs before Batman turned around and kicked him in the face. Fayrii was dazed a second, and Batman threw a smoke bomb at Fayrii. Fayrii closed his eyes, and when the smoke cleared, the dark one and the other people were gone. Fayrii walked over to Slade (A/N: Please remember that Fayrii thinks he's an animal) and sat next to him, while Slade got up.
"Come, my pet, I want to go my lair and figure this out," Slade said, and his obedient pet followed him.
Robin saw his master come and take them home. Batman laid the three knocked out Titans on the ground, treated Starfire, Beast Boy, and himself, then picked up his apprentice and his girlfriend (in his mind, maybe not theirs), and glared at them.
"Alright, what's going on?" he asked, maybe a bit too harshly.
"Can we be put down?" Robin grunted, still holding his shoulder slightly. Starfire felt scared to death. Batman hesitated, then put them down on a bench. He poured hot chocolate for them, and asked again.
"Why did you feel it when that...enemy attacked her?!" he requested. Robin hesitated, and then let Starfire rest on his shoulder while he explained a trip they had had in a different dimension (Of Love and Devotion). Batman waited for them to finish, then asked his questions.
"So you two are linked together?" Batman asked. Robin and Starfire nodded.
"Robin feels everything you do and senses where you are?" he questioned Starfire.
"Yes," Starfire said.
"And you've met that Fayrii before as a friend. Why would he attack you?"
Starfire put her head down. Robin replied, "I saw a needle hole where Slade must have injected chemicals into him."
Batman walked over to his computer and did a search. When the result came up, Batman slammed his fist down hard on his desk.
"THAT...EXCUSE FOR A SON OF A BITCH!" Batman yelled, waking up Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg. They heard what he said and stood up, the five of them walking up to the computer.
"What is it?" Robin asked. The computer showed a blue liquid.
"He's using a chemical that induces mind control! That's why your friend thinks he's a pet!" Batman shouted at no one. Robin felt shock and sadness from Starfire. He put his arm around her.
"Another thing," Batman said calmly, turning around, "I'm not sure you five are ready to go head-to-head anyway. It's been two years since you fought as a team, meaning your skills are very rusty. While it's true that I doubt any of you could fight Fayrii to begin with, you still need to warm up. Right now, you've forgotten how to fight."
The Titans stood silently, knowing that he was right. Then Cyborg shouted, "Well I think we do know how to fight, we just aren't ourselves right now, and none of us have been for two years. And that why, to get back to normal, we have to be what we were back then!"
"That's exactly what I said, just more riddle-like."
"Oh."
"That's also why you four should go look outside. We sit right now next to the sea. And there was an island out there..."
The Titans were already outside before he could finish. There, on an island just like the other, was the Titan Tower, fully restored.
"Just don't break anything. It cost a lot to move it all the way over here," Batman shouted. This just made them happier. It was the original tower, just moved somewhere else. The Titans ran in. Cyborg and Beast Boy started playing the game station, Raven picked up a book, and Robin and Starfire helped move Robin's stuff into Starfire's room. When they were done, the two fell asleep on the bed.
In Slade's lair, he was talking to himself, "I understand your secret, Robin. And this time I'm not just aiming for you; I'm going to put all the Titans on my side."