Chapter Nine-Down and Out

Robin has become more and more like Slade. He robs for him, though keeps secrets from him. But when Slade is trying to force him to fight, Robin finally cracks? Can he turn his life back to the Titans?

I ran. Robin was holding me back, but I ran. I went to Slade, a prize in my hand. Money. Big money. Slade would be proud. Not that I wanted him to be. He was a heartless miscreant who only cared about death. I was like him. I, too, becoming a heartless miscreant. Slade had poisoned my mind. Unlike Slade, my heart was not completely petrified with hate.

He was proud, but he said I could've done better.

Another hidden secret I had kept from Slade. I did research while he slept for an hour. Nothing I hadn't already discovered. One subtitle link caught my eye. I opened it only to find Slade's true past. Why he was against the world. I was overwhelmed. I heard Slade stir. Robin wanted to keep reading, but I password-coded the site and marked it so when I typed the password into address bar, it would come up. I closed the stolen lab top and threw it under my bed. The door opened.

"But why? Why would Robin betray us? He is our friend! Why! ...Why...?" Starfire yelled, entering the giant T in which all of us used to live in (niobe: "Robin" is still narrating this...just so you know :P). Used to. Not anymore though. "The same reason he would let us believe he was dead for five years! The same reason he-...never mind," Raven answered, not wanting to finish her sentence. "The same reason he what?" Beast Boy urged. "Nothing...I don't think it best to mention in front of you-know-who..." Raven mouthed to him, nodding towards Starfire. "Oh...okay..." Beast Boy nodded, unsatisfactory in his voice.

Cyborg had begun to play video games, in attempt to keep his mind off of the very thought of Robin. Their Robin, not me. I was a betraying little demon-rat, not worthy of tears, sorrow, mourning, or anything dealing with such a thing. Starfire left for her room, Beast Boy to his room, and Raven. Raven meditated. She tried to reach me. Through telepathy (niobe: NOT what Aqualad (or as BB would say) Aquadude has. This is a mind reading power, NOT a "I can speak to fish and you can't so ha ha, nah na nah na boo boo!" power. So you know ;P).

Terra went outside to skip rocks like she had done every night. She must've wished for death, because that is what she was going to get if she keeps on sitting out in the dark every night. Slade never seemed to want me to go after her. Perhaps the same reason she was in no danger. She was not probed. Why? Why was she not a victim of Slade's atrocity and repugnance? Did she not seem worth it, or is there a better reason overlooked?

Slade came in. He came in hard and heavy, attacking me at once with a pole. What had I done? Perhaps he knew about the com-link. Or maybe the letter? Or my research? Either way, he was attacking fiercely. I let him. Maybe he would kill me. They would be safe. A felt a blow to my head. I fell. Down. Upon the concrete. I lay there. Asleep? Unconscious? Dead? Which I don't know, but I left my body. No. Slade left my body. His heartless nature left. Only leaving the real Robin. Me.

No matter how many times Slade denied it, no matter how much I denied it...I was Robin. Their Robin. The Robin that wrote the letter. The Robin that was called by a mournful voice night and day. The one that desired more than saving friends. But having friends. I was him. He was me. We were one another.

I heard a voice. One that at the sound of it, I heard death call my name. "Fight me Robin. Get up and fight! Or I will push the button! GET UP!" Death yelled. I rose. Not to fight. To save. "Why should I fight you? I have obeyed for a long time, Slade. No reward. Only punishment. Now it is your turn! Stand down, Slade! Let me go!" I cried out, turning to punch him. As always, he bent my arm in a ninety degree angle. This time, the opposite way it is supposed to bend. It crackled, as my voice cracked in pain. He through me to the wall. I was down and out, and Slade was back in me, this time Robin trapped in the back of my mind.

Pain struck through my body, slamming to the ground over and over. Training Slade called it. I was unable to use my right arm. Slade had dislocated it-badly-and it had no medical assistance. The only thing on it was the metal plate on my apprentice attire. It ached when I fell on it, and twanged when I tried using it. Every move, a new adventure in pain.

author's note: Wow...this is getting WAAAY sadder than I had planned. Umm...nothing to say (I'm speechless...) about this...next chap is SUPPOSED to be way Way WAY better this one, but none have been as planned. I can't tell you what will be in chap 10, but it will be better. I am 99.9999999999 sure it will be!

Niobe