Chapter VI: Showdown and Failed Attempts
Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven stood in the middle of the street, waiting. Sure enough, Slade came walking down the other end of the street, with Starfire and Batman cuffed. Fayrii was with them, his eyes shining red. This wasn't going to be a nice talk.
"Get them," Slade said, and Fayrii charged. The dirty bastard, he tricked us again! Robin thought. Cyborg, BB and Raven went up to meet Fayrii. Robin moved to attack Slade, who came after Robin.
Cyborg fired his cannon at Fayrii, dazing him a second. Fayrii then looked around to see the three surrounding him. Fayrii jumped at BB. His claws ripped through the side of Beast Boy's stomach. Beast Boy shouted in pain, and put his hand over the wound. Raven yelled, "Azurath Metrion Zinthus!" A fire hydrant smashed into Fayrii. BB took the opportunity to change into a saber tooth tiger. Fayrii watched him, and the two circled. Fayrii jumped, and this time BB moved out of the way, and tore at Fayrii's shoulder with his claws. Fayrii landed and squeezed his wound with his tail. Suddenly, Fayrii turned and saw Cy shoot a blat at him. Weakened already, Fayrii took the impact and flew back. Raven muttered, "Azurath Metrion Zinthus," and a car landed heavily on Fayrii. The three walked over to him. The car lifted, and Fayrii threw it at them with his tail. The Titans dodged it, but saw they had given Fayrii time. His cuts and marks regenerated.
Cyborg gritted his teeth, and ran up to him. Fayrii caught him with his tail. The two pushed, and Fayrii pushed even harder. BB became a dinosaur, and helped Cyborg try to push him back. Fayrii pushed harder than both of them. Raven muttered her words, and added her psychic strength to them. Fayrii was still winning. BB changed into the creature Fayrii was. Fayrii started losing. BB pushed to his new full strength, and sent Fayrii flying.
"Dude, I could get used to this," Beast Boy said, playing with his tail and watching his wounds regenerate. Fayrii came running back, and started to crawl slowly in circles with Beast Boy. Raven and Cyborg watched.
Beast Boy lashed out, and Fayrii dodged, and then jumped on BB's back. He slashed at him with his claws again. BB yelled, then hit Fayrii with his tail. Fayrii landed on his feet, then cut BB's tail off. BB turned back to normal and shrieked with excruciating pain. Raven couldn't watch any more, and shot Fayrii with psychic blasts. They battered through his passive defenses, and knocked him back. Fayrii glared at her with his red eyes full of hatred, and leaped at her. Raven was caught by surprise, and Fayrii landed in front of her on all fours, and then stuck his claws through her stomach.
Raven gasped as she felt four bone claws rip through her. Pain rippled through her, and Fayrii ripped them out, causing more pain. Raven fell to her knees, holding her stomach with both hands. Raven's mouth was wide open, and she couldn't speak; the pain was too great.
"Raven!" Beast Boy shouted. He stood numb, and then ran to her. "Raven, speak to me!" Raven didn't say anything, instead she gritted her teeth. Raven fell over, and Beast Boy caught her. Raven looked up and saw Beast Boy with tears, then blacked out.
Cyborg stood shocked through all of this. Then he saw Fayrii crawling up behind an unsuspecting Beast Boy. Cyborg jumped at the same time Fayrii did, and knocked him out of the way. They rolled on the ground, and Fayrii landed on Cyborg. He tore at Cy's armor, and Cyborg had trouble staying booted. He blasted Fayrii at close-range, shooting him off.
Robin met up to meet Slade. Robin flipped over Slade and tried to kick him. Slade caught him and punched him in the stomach. Robin and Slade fought hand to hand for a while, and then Slade tried to pull a knife on Robin. Robin rolled out of the way, and took out his bo stick. Slade tried to slash at him, and Robin slid out of the way and hit him in the back. Slade jumped up on his feet, and saw Robin coming for him. Slade jumped back, grabbed Starfire, and put her in front of him with the knife at her throat.
Robin stopped dead in his tracks. Fear was written all over his and Starfire's face.
"Let her go," Robin asked.
"How about no, and we talk about negotiations later," Slade said. Robin heard Beast Boy cry, "Raven!" He spun to see Fayrii had gotten the better of them. Robin gritted his teeth and turned around. He was hesitant to leave Starfire with the enemy.
Starfire silently mouthed to him, "It's okay." As much as Robin didn't want to right now, he listened to Starfire always. Very, very reluctantly, Robin put away his stick and told the Titans to get back to the tower. Slade called Dark, and they took their prisoners back. Starfire and Robin exchanged one glance before they were out of sight.
When they got back to the Tower, Robin was somewhat in his right state of mind (at least more than on the street), and was able to help bandage Raven's wound. Cyborg and Robin attended to it, and then when they were done, they tried attending to Beast Boy. Poor BB was in a state of shock, and could barely speak. All he said was, "Don't be dead, don't be dead, don't be dead, don't be dead." He was crying for the first time either of them could remember since Robin had made him a Titan for the first time, years ago.
Robin decided just to leave the two of them in the hospital room, and to go think. Cyborg grabbed him in the living room and spoke to him.
"Robin, what are we gonna do?" Cyborg wondered.
"I don't know. We've fought an opponent who fought with killing. This is the first time I've done it with the Teen Titans." Robin answered. Cyborg perked an eyebrow.
"What do you mean; you fought guys who meant to kill when you were not leading the Titans?"
"Yeah. Whenever Batman and I are fighting one of his enemies, like the Joker, we were trying to knock them out, while they had all sorts of ways planned to kill us."
"So, what would you do?"
"Well, we only had the two of us, usually against the enemy with about two to three henchmen, usually."
"I mean how did you manage not to get as messed up as us?"
"Oh, I guess we were more used to blocking against murder. Our gadgets were more bent on hurting than weakening."
"So, my plasma cannon needs to be brought up a notch?"
"Maybe, as long it doesn't kill anyone."
Back in the hospital room, Raven felt herself coming to. She moaned softly, and looked down at the dressing on her stomach. It still hurt to move, yet she sat up. Beast Boy was sitting in a chair, his head in his hands.
"Beast Boy?" Raven said, and then coughed up a bit of blood. Beast Boy looked up and saw her.
"Raven! You're alive!" Beast Boy said, running over. "You feel okay?"
"Besides the pain in my stomach, I'm fine," she replied with a smile. Beast Boy smiled back.
Robin went to his room, and pulled out his picture book, and opened to the very front. Here were his pictures from when he was with Batman, before the Teen Titans. It showed him as a kid, then in uniform with him. Then it showed his time with the Titans. Then with Batman, then empty. Robin walked over to his wall, and took a picture down. It showed one he had taken when they had got back together, inside the Dark Shadow. All six of them were there. Robin slipped it in his book, and then put it in his secret drawer.
A knock was heard at the door. "Yo Robin, it's all of us. Can we come in?" Cyborg sounded.
"Sure," Robin said, and the three walked in. They seemed ready to argue with him.
"So, are you ready?" Beast Boy asked.
"For what?" Robin asked.
"We thought about what you said to us," Cyborg started.
"And we've decided to fight for blood this time. Ready to lead us?" Raven asked. Robin smiled.
"Definitely. Just let's stop by the bat cave first," Robin agreed.
At the bat cave, Robin was picking up old gadgets he hadn't used in a long, long time. He grabbed his grappling hook, his lock pick, a gadget the other Titans didn't know what it was, and some different looking birdarangs. Then Robin showed them something that made Cyborg go crazy.
Batman had made four motorcycles, and each of them grabbed one. They came with radar, nets, and boosters.
Robin, Cyborg, BB, and Raven rode out, while Robin found to his joy he could sense where Starfire was.
"This way!" he shouted, and the Titans followed Robin. They parked their vehicles outside an auditorium. Robin remembered how he and Batman had often done this, and wrapped his cape around him, a dark look upon his face. The other Titans followed their leader, and their faces matched his. In the middle of the auditorium was a trapdoor on the stage. Robin kicked it open, and a tunnel led to Slade's lair.
Robin jumped up into the ceiling. This place looked much like Slade's old hiding place. Cyborg and the others spotted Starfire and Batman. Then Fayrii jumped out, and the lights in that area turned on.
Fayrii jumped to attack, but Robin jumped down and landed on him. Robin hit him over the head. Cyborg blasted at him, dazing him much longer than before. BB met him as a kangaroo, and kicked him into Raven's mental trap. Robin pulled out the gadget that the others didn't recognize. Batman saw it and yelled at Robin, but Robin threw it.
A force field sprang out and consumed Fayrii, effectively trapping him. The titans might have won this time, except Slade was watching at his computer and activated his traps.
An electric shocker hit Starfire in her shoulder injury. Robin and Starfire fell in pain at the same time. Sleeping gas was sprayed, and the Titans fell to the floor. Fayrii snapped out of the force field.
The Titans awoke to find themselves trapped with Starfire and Batman.
They had lost. It was over.
Or was it?
Because outside, by the tower, a hole was opening in the sky, and stars were falling out at night.
Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven stood in the middle of the street, waiting. Sure enough, Slade came walking down the other end of the street, with Starfire and Batman cuffed. Fayrii was with them, his eyes shining red. This wasn't going to be a nice talk.
"Get them," Slade said, and Fayrii charged. The dirty bastard, he tricked us again! Robin thought. Cyborg, BB and Raven went up to meet Fayrii. Robin moved to attack Slade, who came after Robin.
Cyborg fired his cannon at Fayrii, dazing him a second. Fayrii then looked around to see the three surrounding him. Fayrii jumped at BB. His claws ripped through the side of Beast Boy's stomach. Beast Boy shouted in pain, and put his hand over the wound. Raven yelled, "Azurath Metrion Zinthus!" A fire hydrant smashed into Fayrii. BB took the opportunity to change into a saber tooth tiger. Fayrii watched him, and the two circled. Fayrii jumped, and this time BB moved out of the way, and tore at Fayrii's shoulder with his claws. Fayrii landed and squeezed his wound with his tail. Suddenly, Fayrii turned and saw Cy shoot a blat at him. Weakened already, Fayrii took the impact and flew back. Raven muttered, "Azurath Metrion Zinthus," and a car landed heavily on Fayrii. The three walked over to him. The car lifted, and Fayrii threw it at them with his tail. The Titans dodged it, but saw they had given Fayrii time. His cuts and marks regenerated.
Cyborg gritted his teeth, and ran up to him. Fayrii caught him with his tail. The two pushed, and Fayrii pushed even harder. BB became a dinosaur, and helped Cyborg try to push him back. Fayrii pushed harder than both of them. Raven muttered her words, and added her psychic strength to them. Fayrii was still winning. BB changed into the creature Fayrii was. Fayrii started losing. BB pushed to his new full strength, and sent Fayrii flying.
"Dude, I could get used to this," Beast Boy said, playing with his tail and watching his wounds regenerate. Fayrii came running back, and started to crawl slowly in circles with Beast Boy. Raven and Cyborg watched.
Beast Boy lashed out, and Fayrii dodged, and then jumped on BB's back. He slashed at him with his claws again. BB yelled, then hit Fayrii with his tail. Fayrii landed on his feet, then cut BB's tail off. BB turned back to normal and shrieked with excruciating pain. Raven couldn't watch any more, and shot Fayrii with psychic blasts. They battered through his passive defenses, and knocked him back. Fayrii glared at her with his red eyes full of hatred, and leaped at her. Raven was caught by surprise, and Fayrii landed in front of her on all fours, and then stuck his claws through her stomach.
Raven gasped as she felt four bone claws rip through her. Pain rippled through her, and Fayrii ripped them out, causing more pain. Raven fell to her knees, holding her stomach with both hands. Raven's mouth was wide open, and she couldn't speak; the pain was too great.
"Raven!" Beast Boy shouted. He stood numb, and then ran to her. "Raven, speak to me!" Raven didn't say anything, instead she gritted her teeth. Raven fell over, and Beast Boy caught her. Raven looked up and saw Beast Boy with tears, then blacked out.
Cyborg stood shocked through all of this. Then he saw Fayrii crawling up behind an unsuspecting Beast Boy. Cyborg jumped at the same time Fayrii did, and knocked him out of the way. They rolled on the ground, and Fayrii landed on Cyborg. He tore at Cy's armor, and Cyborg had trouble staying booted. He blasted Fayrii at close-range, shooting him off.
Robin met up to meet Slade. Robin flipped over Slade and tried to kick him. Slade caught him and punched him in the stomach. Robin and Slade fought hand to hand for a while, and then Slade tried to pull a knife on Robin. Robin rolled out of the way, and took out his bo stick. Slade tried to slash at him, and Robin slid out of the way and hit him in the back. Slade jumped up on his feet, and saw Robin coming for him. Slade jumped back, grabbed Starfire, and put her in front of him with the knife at her throat.
Robin stopped dead in his tracks. Fear was written all over his and Starfire's face.
"Let her go," Robin asked.
"How about no, and we talk about negotiations later," Slade said. Robin heard Beast Boy cry, "Raven!" He spun to see Fayrii had gotten the better of them. Robin gritted his teeth and turned around. He was hesitant to leave Starfire with the enemy.
Starfire silently mouthed to him, "It's okay." As much as Robin didn't want to right now, he listened to Starfire always. Very, very reluctantly, Robin put away his stick and told the Titans to get back to the tower. Slade called Dark, and they took their prisoners back. Starfire and Robin exchanged one glance before they were out of sight.
When they got back to the Tower, Robin was somewhat in his right state of mind (at least more than on the street), and was able to help bandage Raven's wound. Cyborg and Robin attended to it, and then when they were done, they tried attending to Beast Boy. Poor BB was in a state of shock, and could barely speak. All he said was, "Don't be dead, don't be dead, don't be dead, don't be dead." He was crying for the first time either of them could remember since Robin had made him a Titan for the first time, years ago.
Robin decided just to leave the two of them in the hospital room, and to go think. Cyborg grabbed him in the living room and spoke to him.
"Robin, what are we gonna do?" Cyborg wondered.
"I don't know. We've fought an opponent who fought with killing. This is the first time I've done it with the Teen Titans." Robin answered. Cyborg perked an eyebrow.
"What do you mean; you fought guys who meant to kill when you were not leading the Titans?"
"Yeah. Whenever Batman and I are fighting one of his enemies, like the Joker, we were trying to knock them out, while they had all sorts of ways planned to kill us."
"So, what would you do?"
"Well, we only had the two of us, usually against the enemy with about two to three henchmen, usually."
"I mean how did you manage not to get as messed up as us?"
"Oh, I guess we were more used to blocking against murder. Our gadgets were more bent on hurting than weakening."
"So, my plasma cannon needs to be brought up a notch?"
"Maybe, as long it doesn't kill anyone."
Back in the hospital room, Raven felt herself coming to. She moaned softly, and looked down at the dressing on her stomach. It still hurt to move, yet she sat up. Beast Boy was sitting in a chair, his head in his hands.
"Beast Boy?" Raven said, and then coughed up a bit of blood. Beast Boy looked up and saw her.
"Raven! You're alive!" Beast Boy said, running over. "You feel okay?"
"Besides the pain in my stomach, I'm fine," she replied with a smile. Beast Boy smiled back.
Robin went to his room, and pulled out his picture book, and opened to the very front. Here were his pictures from when he was with Batman, before the Teen Titans. It showed him as a kid, then in uniform with him. Then it showed his time with the Titans. Then with Batman, then empty. Robin walked over to his wall, and took a picture down. It showed one he had taken when they had got back together, inside the Dark Shadow. All six of them were there. Robin slipped it in his book, and then put it in his secret drawer.
A knock was heard at the door. "Yo Robin, it's all of us. Can we come in?" Cyborg sounded.
"Sure," Robin said, and the three walked in. They seemed ready to argue with him.
"So, are you ready?" Beast Boy asked.
"For what?" Robin asked.
"We thought about what you said to us," Cyborg started.
"And we've decided to fight for blood this time. Ready to lead us?" Raven asked. Robin smiled.
"Definitely. Just let's stop by the bat cave first," Robin agreed.
At the bat cave, Robin was picking up old gadgets he hadn't used in a long, long time. He grabbed his grappling hook, his lock pick, a gadget the other Titans didn't know what it was, and some different looking birdarangs. Then Robin showed them something that made Cyborg go crazy.
Batman had made four motorcycles, and each of them grabbed one. They came with radar, nets, and boosters.
Robin, Cyborg, BB, and Raven rode out, while Robin found to his joy he could sense where Starfire was.
"This way!" he shouted, and the Titans followed Robin. They parked their vehicles outside an auditorium. Robin remembered how he and Batman had often done this, and wrapped his cape around him, a dark look upon his face. The other Titans followed their leader, and their faces matched his. In the middle of the auditorium was a trapdoor on the stage. Robin kicked it open, and a tunnel led to Slade's lair.
Robin jumped up into the ceiling. This place looked much like Slade's old hiding place. Cyborg and the others spotted Starfire and Batman. Then Fayrii jumped out, and the lights in that area turned on.
Fayrii jumped to attack, but Robin jumped down and landed on him. Robin hit him over the head. Cyborg blasted at him, dazing him much longer than before. BB met him as a kangaroo, and kicked him into Raven's mental trap. Robin pulled out the gadget that the others didn't recognize. Batman saw it and yelled at Robin, but Robin threw it.
A force field sprang out and consumed Fayrii, effectively trapping him. The titans might have won this time, except Slade was watching at his computer and activated his traps.
An electric shocker hit Starfire in her shoulder injury. Robin and Starfire fell in pain at the same time. Sleeping gas was sprayed, and the Titans fell to the floor. Fayrii snapped out of the force field.
The Titans awoke to find themselves trapped with Starfire and Batman.
They had lost. It was over.
Or was it?
Because outside, by the tower, a hole was opening in the sky, and stars were falling out at night.