Chapter Six-Young Boys Don't Cry

After Slade gives him a mission, Robin grabs what he needs and more. Obeying Robin, he decides to tell them. After trying dozens of times he gives up. Then Robin obeys Slade by obeying his commands. When he gets back, however, a voice cries. Can that cry be enough to set him straight?

As the footsteps fainted into the dark hallway, Robin began to control me. He told me to get up. I obeyed. I opened the door to my room. Half of me did it out of love, the other, out of obedience. We looked out the door, him first. Then he told me to run. Run away. I forced myself not to. I slammed my door back shut. I had to resist him. For their sake. I must fight him. I must convince him otherwise of his wants. We need to stay. Robin reluctantly listened to me.

When I opened the drawer, I saw a journal. And a com-link. The voice cried for her Robin to return. I wept for her. "I'm sorry, Starfire." The words slipped out, as well as tears. Robin cried. I cried. Robin cried for his friends, I cried for him. I heard a voice come from the front of the factory. It called my name. I obeyed by coming. I slipped the com-link into my pocket and my journal into the drawer. (he turned the com-link to "MUTE" first though:))

"I have a mission for you. Rob as many places that hold money as you can before dawn," the monster said, appearing from the shadows. "Okay, Slade," I said, turning to my room for weapons. I also snuck my journal, a pencil and a stamp with my weapons. I left through my window.

Starfire called his name over the com-link for hours. Raven finally threatened her, and at that she shut her mouth. When Raven was gone, however, she began to whisper it over and over. No response. 'He truly is dead' she thought, giving up all hope.

Weeks ago, the Titans had regained their normal life-mostly. They missed combat-training with me, and my "terrible" taste in music. Cyborg had forced himself to listen to it just to remember good times with me. It was painful to remember. Raven meditated more than before because she lost control of her emotions more than regular. Terra prayed three times a day for me to return. Beast Boy spent time walking around town as dog most of the time. And Starfire? She was either in her room or in my room most of the time. Not me, Robin. The Robin that no longer exists.

I sat in an ally, writing. It was dark and the light from the ghost above was the only light I had. I wrote little by little think as I went. I crumbled the paper. They could never know what had happened to him. Robin had to be dead. Never to be alive again. Never. Never. Never again. Dead. Ran away to Japan. But not with me. I am no longer Robin. I am Slade. Slade is me, and I am him. A heartless fool that kills for amusement, and hurts innocent people for humor. A voice rose inside me. 'You are not Slade. You are Robin. Tell them. They will solve it,' it said. Robin. He was back. "No," I answered, "they can never know. For their sake, they must never know."

I began my mission with Cook's Movie Rental (niobe: see Car Trouble, and Fear Itself.). The alarms sounded fiercely there, and I knew at the T off the coast, it was sounding just as fiercely. So I wouldn't encounter the other Titans, I moved quickly and swiftly. I was successful. No Titans.

"Man this guy is fast! In and out in two minutes!" Cyborg yelled, driving back to the tower as the sun rose beyond the ocean's horizon. It was dawn. "Three hours and still nothing!" "Not so sure about that Cyborg," Raven said. He replied with a curious look. "Show you later," she answered with a role of her eyes.

I arrived at the factory at six. Dawn. Robin was with me, but had laid off the nagging for now. I handed the bag to Slade, but he rejected it. He told me to count it. After an hour of counting, I realized how much we had stolen. Sixty-five thousand, three hundred and fifty-three dollars and eighty-two cents. Just for Slade. No. For the Titans. For my frie-no. My former friends. The friends that call for someone nonexistent. "Well done, Robin. Your skills are improving. I proud. I will let you know if I have any other missions for you," Slade proclaimed, allowing me to my room. I laid the com-link down, it still on mute. Robin made me turn the volume up to the point I could hear. The voice cried for him.

'Let them know. Slade is nothing like you. And you are nothing like him,' the voice said within me, 'they are Recmaning (the drifting) (niobe: once again, How Long is Forever). They need me. They need you. They need us. They are falling apart. You need to go back.' It was Robin. He was stronger that before. 'But how? If I do, they die,' I heard myself replying. 'Challenge Slade. Whoever wins control whether or not they live or die,' he answered. 'And if I lose, they die.' My mind carried a better point.

Our debate was interrupted by the small, doleful voice inside the com-link. "Robin!" it cried. It, too, was interrupted. "There's no time. Warp is back for the Clock of Eternity again (niobe: once again, How Long is Forever.). Robin was right. No way could they defeat Warp. Not a chance. Last time, he was well-nigh invincible. This time? He might be invincible! I can't. Better the clock than them. But what if it happens again? What if this time it is irreversible? What if we have to Recman? What if our friendship does die?

author's note: this chap, I have to admit, it sucked. Next chap I think will be better. When Robin says "us" and "we" he is referring to himself in the present, and his other ego, the old Robin. "I" and "me" is his present self, and "him" and "he" is his past self. Get it? Like I said, Nother chap soon!

Niobe