Chapter Twenty-Three-Diaries

While still remembering his past, Robin explains a few things. But while thinking, he was KO-ed and drug to a strange place. He searches the haunted walls for something, yet nothing, only to find a diary. Slade's diary. What will it reveal to us about a demon's hidden past?

I have forgot to tell you why I had not written in so long. The last time I wrote was when I was a long time ago...may have even been before Slade... I have been caught up in my Slade work once more. Also training had held me captive from my writings. I must stay prepared for his return. I am sorry, but I was until now.

Starfire was my best friend, and I left her to die. I stopped searching. I had yelled at them when they stopped looking for me after Slade attacked. Yet I, myself, had given up. Life was-and is-a valuable thing, and you must not waste it-if there is one thing I have learned in the past twenty-three years, that is it. I regret things I have done in my past. But regretting will do no good.

I remember I was going to write that night, but I could find no words

Tears leaked to the empty pages as my limp body was dragged out of sight.

I awoke in a strange place. Factory gears clinged and clanged as I arose from the cold ground. It was stained with footsteps and splatters of a dried-blood color as I realized where I was. After all of these years, Slade had not given up. A shadow appeared before me. He looked no younger nor older, nor had his voice matured. "Hello, Robin. It has been a while. I have watched you, Robin...how very amusing. How would you like to join me...and my apprentice?" he asked in a mysterious tone of voice. Who...? "Who is it this time, Kitten (niobe: see Date With Destiny)?" I asked in sarcasm, surprised by his answer. "No, but she is an old friend," he said stepping aside. (niobe: heh heh...you thought I was gonna make it Kitten, didn't ya? .)

I was dumbstruck. She was dead, how could this be? I stared into her emerald eyes as she gazed harshly into open space, not blinking nor wincing. How? I had just come back from her funeral! But, sure enough Starfire stood before me, evil in her eyes. "Starfire...no...no...no...please, Star, tell me it isn't true! Tell me, Star...tell me..." When she gave no response I knew then and there it was true. Wanting no life, I agreed to his proposition.

That night I roamed the factory, uncertain of what was going on. My feet led me to Slade's room. He wasn't in there at the time. He was on a crime spree once more. He, Cinderblock, and Plasmus all had gone. I gazed at everything in there, from floor to ceiling. (niobe: joke to Tina and Kelly: What's on Slade's floor???)

I found a diary sitting on a nightstand beside his bed. The cover was black and rough with lines. The pages inside were parchment yellow and had become brown around the edges. The smooth pages were covered with a neat cursive writing made in black ink. It was so hard to read, but only took me seconds to interpret.

Life has become a Hell for me since Dirk took me from being a Teen Titan. I have not seen them in several years. Dirk has probed them with probes that with the push of a button, they will have a slow and painful death. They will hate me when they discover who I have become, but it is for them. I miss them much, but I must get over it for them to live. Since I first heard of Dirk, my life has gone down the drain.

They have forgotten me, and I must forget them. Dirk has taught me much, but the most important is the ones we love get us killed. Though I mist Summer, the gentle one, Cimme, the dark one, C, the goofy one, Chetto, the strongest one, and Zache (Ză), the newest one, Slade is gone, and has been replaced with an evil spirit that shall drive him to evil.

It is winter now, and snow is falling outside the factory. I was punished to sleep out in the snow. I would run, but I know if I do, the Titans die. It will be hard to leave them behind, but it must be done. I would only do something strange like this for them, and only them. Dirk knows they are my weakness, and as long as he has that trigger, I am powerless.

I am going to make an attempt to steal it tonight while he is asleep. I will write when done to tell you the outcome.

- Recur Derek Wilson

I turned the page that was crisped with age as tears appeared to my eyes, blurring my vision. I read. The results.

I was not successful. Dirk caught me, and told me to fight him for their lives. We fought for a while before he defeated me. He struck my eye with the pole. Not only am I blind in my right eye, but I no longer HAVE a right eye. He gave me a mask to hide my hideous face. The right was as black as the hole that was once a heart, and the other copper as how I used to shine with pride. I will obey from now until the end of my time. That is a solemn vow that shall never be broken. I will do what it takes to save myself...as well as the innocent pets I once toyed my time away with. And I shall now simply be known as Slade.

-Slade

Slade had kept his word. I heard a door slam from the front of the factory. It was Slade. I ran to my room with the diary. Fear filled me that Slade would burst through the doors at any second, anger pouring from him like lava from a volcano. I shoved the diary into a drawer so Slade would not see it.

As hours passed I realized he was not coming. I walked two doors down. I opened the door to see a sobered girl gazing back at me. "Starfire, I-" she began to spill her heart. "Robin! I am sorry! I have betrayed you and our friends! I am a bad friend! I do not deserve life any longer! I was jealous because of my sister...and I betrayed you, Robin...I am sorry..." she said, tears spilling to my chest. "Starfire...Shhh...it's okay...I can forgive you...You forgave me before...it'll be okay, Starfire...it'll be okay..." I said calming the girl down. I needed to calm down as well as she. We would find a way out of this mess...and Slade wasn't gonna stop me this time.

author's note: WHOA! AWSOME! You like? Please review and tell me. YAY! THE VIRUS IS GONE!! Okay, Chapter 24 should be cool so stay tuned! So you know, if the title in the FF and the clicked title are different, the one at the top of the FF is correct. Peace!

Niobe