Deliver us from Evil

I still don't own anything.

Chapter 14: Back with a Bang

Robin ran straight at Red X and delivered a kick right at X. X dodged this and attempted to land a blow at Robin. Robin blocked this attack and then delivered a punch of his own. X dodged this attack and grabbed Robin by the collar of his shirt. He threw Robin right into the room's side wall. As soon as Robin made contact with the wall, he looked up to see X jump into the air and aim his foot right at him. He jumped out of the way as X's foot hit the ground, causing pieces of the floor to fly out in all directions. Robin then caught X off guard and got him with a crunch right across his face. X retaliated with a swift uppercut into Robin' stomach.

X then moved away from Robin just then. He then leaned over and spit out a wade of blood and spit right onto the floor. "Nice one." X commented. "That why you stopped the fight?" Robin asked, holding his stomach. "No, just had to clean myself up." X replied as he wiped away some left over blood from the corners of his mouth. "I see," Robin said," I do have to say you are an impressive fighter. We are, in a sense, the same. But, I do have to say…" "What did you just call me?" X asked, his voice now touched with what seemed like extreme coldness. "I said we are the same. In the sense of you being a clone." "How dare you!" X then yelled as he lunged at Robin. Robin, completely unaware of what had happened, now was hit with a hard blow right across the side of his face. He then kneed him the stomach and finally, got him with a kick right across the head with sent Robin a few feet away and down on the ground. "Robin!" Starfire called out. "Its okay Star," Robin called back," I'm fine." "Never, never say that I am just like you." X said as he watched Robin slowly get up from the ground.

"I wouldn't say we are alike," Robin said," with you attacking a opponent who wasn't ready." "That's what I like to hear." X stated. "Why did you go ballistic after I said that?" Robin asked. "I never wanted to be as your equal." He replied. X then cracked his knuckles and said," After Slade let me out of my vat, I knew that this is what life was like. Of course, I had only your mind. I despised that, having to be just like you. I wanted to be my own person. I escaped from Slade and got hold of your Red X costume. Oh, how I enjoyed being my own man. I finally had my own dreams, wants, and personality. I finally was rid of you and could be grateful for it."

"So, why are you with Slade?" Robin asked. "Excellent question," X stated," you see, I still had you in my side. As long as you were around, I would nothing but your shadow. Slade then promised me what I have been waiting for. Stand by his side, and I get to wipe you off of the slate that is my life." "I presume that you have no regrets towards what Slade is planning." Robin commented. "Can't really say I have anything. Slade wipes out the human race and puts his own club of manufactured by products on the planet. I'm going to follow his orders and wipe you out and that's all I care about." "Taking Slade's orders." Robin said:" I thought you said you were your own man." "I am!" X shouted." I'm going to end this now! I may look like you, but my tech is different."

He then pointed his hand palm up and fired a red x from it straight at Robin. Robin quickly ran to the side to dodge the projectile. From where he originally stood, an explosion ensured. X then continued to fire of more of the explosive weaponry, but Robin continued to run from them. X then fired a new projectile, this time it got Robin in the leg. Instead of exploding, it caused a red glob to engulf his foot. Robin pulled at his leg to release his foot, but had no luck. X then pointed his hand once again at Robin and said," Maybe now you will finally die!" he then fired a exploding X right at Robin, which struck dead on and exploded. As smoke rose from where Robin was, X said," Looks like I won." His expression then changed from joy to shock as Robin's voice called out from the smoke: "Don't start counting your winnings just yet, X!" Robin then lunched himself from the smoke, his collapsible staff pulled out and extended out. He brought it right across X's head and made contact. As X moved back from the blow, Robin was now preparing to strike it down on him. X quickly brought out one of his x shaped throwing stars and blocked the staff. Robin then sent out as few jabbing motions at X, quickly blocked them. X then jumped into the air and threw his weapon at Robin, following that with two more. Robin's staff was slice din half by the first one, but he managed to dodge the others.

"You have done quite well." Robin stated as X landed. "As well as you." he replied. "It appears as though I can not call you my equal." Robin said. "Excellent," X said with a smirk," it seems as though you, the mighty Robin, have all but been able to see me as completely different from you." "You're right, X. Of course, I would never see myself as a criminal like you." "It's my way of life." X commented. "The way that I once journeyed is a hard path, X." Robin said. "Seems easy by my standards." "You may think so now," Robin began," but soon enough, your path will lead you down the road of murder. When you first kill someone, you will all but stumble onward soon enough. As your mind races with the memory of the one you killed, you will continue to murder, to try and clear your guilt. And as you go, the world that you sought to build for yourself shall all but crumble." "I make my own decisions from now on," X commented," I don't need your goals to guide me on my journey. And about murder, let's start with you."

Just then, a gunshot erupted from the shadows behind the two fighters. When the gunshot had started to slowly die done from the air, Robin's body was then knocked backwards as though an invisible force had knocked him away. With his thrown, Robin yelled as a squirt of blood shot out from the left side of his hip. As his body dropped, it was revealed that a very nasty looking hole had appeared where the blood had shot from. "What the hell!" X yelled out as he saw Robin hit the ground. Robin grunted as he place his hand to where the blood was slowly draining from as Starfire yelled out," Robin! I'm coming!" "Don't move," a voice from the shadows stated," so much as take one step near bird boy and I clip his wings, permanently." Footsteps where then heard slowly approaching. Then, from the shadows, a new fighter had emerged. He had a very strong built and wore a black muscle shirt, blue jeans, and black combat boots. His hair was black and his skin was a pale grey. A silver visor was wrapped around the middle of his head, covering his eyes. The eyepieces of the visor glowed with a very dark red color. His right hand was cover with a silver, metallic glove that had two barrels on the wrist, one of which was smocking. "Rancid!" Beast Boy yelled out. "That's right, kiddies. Johnny is back in the house." Rancid commented as he shot his fist in the air.

"Rancid!" X yelled out: "What the hell are you doing?" Oh yes," Rancid said as he looked at the injured Robin," Slade didn't like how you were doing, so he sent me in to take care of the pest problem." "I was just about to finish him off!" X shot back. "As I recalled," Rancid said as he walked over to him," You were just playing by his game of fighting a far fight." Rancid was now in front of X and looked down at him, form Rancid was a good foot and a half-taller then X. X was not intimidated by the height differences as he said," I was fighting honorably. I don't hide in the shadows like a cowered and bring a firearm to a fist fight." "Firearm? This is no mere firearm. This gun uploads to my internal energy and processes it into ammunition. It then lunches the energy in a bullet form." Rancid then fired off another shot from one of the gun's barrels. This one got Robin right in the arm, causing another shot of blood to erupt. Robin cried out in pain as he was hit by another shot. "I always get tired missing their vital on purpose. But, thanks to my new shades, I am guaranteed a one hundred percent chance not to miss." "You disgust me, Rancid," X began," you don't now how to fight like a man." "And you want to fight like a weakling, as Robin fights?" he asked. "No. I may have chosen a path of evil as you do, but I have principles." "Principles," Rancid sated," like I care for them. This is what I think of your principles." He then rammed both barrels into X's chest and fired both of them off at the same time. X was knocked backwards in the back wall and as he dropped to the ground, his chest was now smoking and he was losing blood fast. As he looked down at the wound slowly, he quietly said," I'm sorry, Robin. I hope we may fight again." His eyes then closed and his head dropped to his chest and his eyes closed.

"Now I have to wait for my barrels to charge up again. Little pisshead made me waste my most powerful attack." "Rancid! You bastard!" Robin yelled out. Rancid turned to see Robin slowly getting up. His arm wound was now wrapped up in a makeshift bandage and his chest wound, while still looking nasty, he had managed to isolate most of the bleeding with some meds from his utility belt. Rancid laughed at viewing this sight and said," This is priceless. Bird boy thinks he can stop me." "I can and I will." Robin said. "That isn't possible, you idiot," Rancid stated," you're losing strength, you can barely move, and you don't have a chance in hell to stop me." "Then let's see that. Fight me without your weapon. Be a man." Robin said as he got into a fighting stance. "I have a few minutes before it charges up. I suppose I can play along." Rancid said.

Robin then ran up as quickly as he could to Rancid and threw a punch at him. Rancid then quickly moved away from Robin, but it seemed as though he had disappeared. He appeared now behind Robin. He hit him in the back of the head with the side of his hand. "Seems as though I was right. You can't possibly win in your state." Robin then quickly turned around and tried to punch him again, but Rancid pulled his disappearing act and delivered a hard kick to Robin's side as he materialized behind him. As Robin feel to his knees, Rancid stated," If you're wondering why I can move so fast, Slade gave me some adrenaline boosters that supercharged me. I'm now faster, stronger, and better then you." Robin then got off of the ground and tried yet again to punch Rancid, but Rancid had ducked the blow and got Robin right in the stomach. Robin cried out in pain as he once again dropped to the ground. "Why don't you just give up?" Rancid asked. "I wouldn't give up to the likes of you." Robin stated. Rancid then backed away from Robin and said," Whatever, my weapon is charged and ready. I'm just going to back up a few feet since I don't want to get any of your innards on my clothes. Have to look good for the new world order."

"Robin!" Starfire yelled out as she flew off the ground and went straight for Rancid. "Starfire!" Beast Boy yelled. But, it was too late, for just as Star sent a punch right at Rancid, he caught her fist. Her then brought up his foot and got her right in stomach. She fell to the ground as Rancid grabbed her and held her up, his arm wrapped around her neck and his cannon rammed under her mouth. "This is just too cute. The birdie had a girlfriend." Rancid said. "Leave her out of this." Robin said. "Don't worry," Rancid said as Star struggled against his hold," you won't worry about her once I blow her head off her shoulders." But, as he prepped his gun, Robin had all ready formulated a plan. He drew one of his throwing weapons and was arming it as he said," Please let me win this." He then threw it in an instance and then, as if by luck or chance, the blade got Rancid right in the left lens of his eye. Rancid screamed out in surprise as he threw Starfire to the ground. "You bastard!" he cried out: "How dare you! No one does that to me!" He then aimed his gun as he then said," You think that will do you any good? I still have one good eye." "There's more to this attack." Robin then commented. Rancid then suddenly yelled out once more, but now then was cut off. He then feel backward as it was revealed that a x shaped throwing star was lodged in his back. "Thank you, X" Robin said. "I thank you, Robin," X commented from the other side of the room," At least someone got to die. But, my energy is gone now. I have to leave this world. I may have been playing possum, but Rancid's attack is still killing me. This is our final good bye." Then, as the copy of Blood Dragon had done, he closed his eyes as his body dissolved into a clear, blue liquid.

The other Titans quickly ran over to Robin and Starfire, who was now recovering from the attack. Raven got over to Robin, and in no time, healed his wounds with her telekinetic powers. "Thanks." Robin said. As he got up. "No problem." Raven replied. "Great job, Robin." Beast Boy said. Star then ran over to Robin and grabbed him in her arms. "I am sorry Robin," she said as she kissed him on the neck," I am sorry IO nearly got us killed." Robin, who was now trying to breathe, said," It's okay. Star. It's fine. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be still alive." Star let go of him and said," Thank you, Robin. I am just glad you are still here." Robin kissed her and said," Don't worry. I wouldn't be dying here." "None of us will," Specter said,' by the way, you better check the time. "Good idea." Robin said as he glanced at his watch. He looked in surprise at realizing that the watch's LCD was now blank. "What's going on?" Robin asked. "You losers," Rancid said, his voice now sounding cracked and faint," Slade lied about the whole twelve hours thing. In fact, your watch was in fact two hours and thirty minutes late." "You mean we only have thirty minutes left!" Beast Boy said in shock. "You bet. Thirty minutes and the human race is going to go bye bye." Rancid replied. At the far end of the room, the walls slid apart to reveal a doorway. "Looks like Slade wants some fun," he began," go Titans. Doesn't matter anyway." Rancid's voice then was followed by a quick gasp of air, and then silence. "Let's go, team. We may have little time, but we have done the impossible before." Robin said. "You got it, Robin," Beast Boy stated," This time, Slade is going down." The team then quickly ran i9nto the doorway and to where Slade resided.

Will the Titans succeed? Find out in Chapter 15!