Duel of the Fates

Chapter Three: Alliance

By: Angel Vanilla

Mayumi Takanashi: Well, the noise is too funny! So there! (Sticks out tongue) And sure, you can be my beta starting next chapter.

Story Summary: Robin's sister, Raven's brother, a millionaire and a killer. What do you get? This.

Note(s): This is my last update until probably the 19th, as my family is going to visit Washington D.C.

Day: January 08

Place: Wayne Manor, Gotham City, New York

Point of View: Third Person

"You called your friends?" Bruce asked as Robin came down the stairs into the batcave.

"Yeah. Raven said she'd tell the others." Robin answered, and sat down in the chair beside Bruce. "Do we have anything so far?"

"Prints on a guy named Anthony Piers. He's the shooter. Problem is, after that he just disappeared into thin air." Bruce said, sounding tired and frustrated. Not because he was angry and wanted to find the man who nearly took his life, but because he couldn't solve a case.

"Maybe we should work on it more later, after we've had lunch." Robin suggested, and Bruce nodded hesitantly.

Suddenly Robin's Titan communicator rang. Robin picked it up, motioning for Bruce to go on ahead.

"Robin here," He said. The panicked face of Cyborg greeted him. "What's up?"

"Raven's gone. Her communicator's on the bed, and her locator's disabled." Cyborg told him.

"You didn't go into her room, did you?" Robin asked, fearful of how Raven would react. He was already making plans for how much the casts for their broken bones would cost.

"Yeah, dude. Have a look," Cyborg said, and turned the communicator so that it showed Raven's room. Robin narrowed his eyebrows, seeing the state of the usually neat room.

"And she's nowhere in the Tower? You're positive?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, we checked everywhere. No sign of her," Cyborg answered. "Do you think she might have just…left?" Robin shook his head, sure that she would do no such thing. He told Cyborg so. Suddenly, Cyborg's face was replaced by Beast Boy's.

"I bet she was taken by aliens, and they're going to take out her insides and mess with her head and make her all perky and stuff!" Beast Boy said. Robin heard Starfire gasp.

"Then we must save her, Friends!" Starfire said. Robin sighed, and told her that Raven hadn't been abducted by aliens. Starfire grinned sheepishly, and sat down on the couch.

"What are we gonna do, Rob?" Cyborg asked, coming back on. "How are we going to find her?"

"We'll figure something out." Robin answered. 'I'm just not sure what…' He thought.

Day: January 08

Place: An ordinary, two-story house in Jump City, New York

Point of View: Third Person

"Why did you bring her here?" Cassandra asked, watching as Branaric walked into the house he had invited her to stay in until she could find somewhere else to live. He was not alone, either. He had Raven with him.

"I had to talk to her, and I know she would either throw me into the bay or shut the door in my face again if I just showed up at their home again," Bran answered her. His friend and companion sighed heavily.

"They're going to come looking for her," She warned him.

"I know. That's why I set up a barrier around the house," Bran answered. "I'm taking her to the guest room until she wakes up." Cass shook her head as they left. Bran was hopeless…

Bran laid his sister gently on the bed, and laid out a pair of black jeans and a purple tank top before leaving. (When her powers had gone out of control, one of the various objects flying about her room had cut open the stomach of her uniform.) He turned to leave, but stopped when he heard her speak.

"Branaric?" She asked, sitting up, holding one hand to her head. Her expression was not of anger, but confusion. "Where are we? This doesn't look like any of the houses on Azarath, or Remalna…"

"Briony?" Bran asked, slightly afraid of what he was hearing. Her powers had not appeared until she was 12, when they cast out all of the other powers she'd had at the time (which were quite a few). They had also affected her memory. She had not remembered who she was, or who anyone else was, for two weeks after that.

"Where are we, Bran?" Raven asked again. "Where's Mother?"

"You mean…you don't remember anything? The war, coming to Earth, and joining the Titans? None of it?" Bran asked.

"What are you talking about, Bran?" Raven asked. "We were just back on Azarath yesterday, and Vidanric was visiting…" Bran bit his lip. His sister seemed to remember nothing after here months before the war began, two years ago. And he didn't want to tell her that Vidanric was missing—and had been for some time now.

"Why don't you go back to sleep? You're safe here. Don't worry." Bran said. Raven watched him for a moment before nodding slightly.

"Alright," Raven answered, trusting him as she had trusted no one since the war began. She lay her head down on the pillow again, and muttered, "Goodnight, Branaric."

"Night, R—Briony," Bran answered. Walking out of the room, he shut the door quietly behind him.

Lyra was waiting for him in the hallway, her arms crossed. "So she remembers nothing of the Titans? Nothing at all?" She asked. Bran nodded.

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?" He answered, running a hand through his blonde hair. "But I know what I'm going to have to do. We're going to have to contact the Titans."

Day: January 08

Location: Titans Tower

Point of View: Third Person

"Friend Robin is coming back to help us locate our missing Friend Raven?" Starfire asked. Cyborg nodded. "Glorious! We shall have Robin and Raven back!"

"Yeah, Star. We'll find her," Cyborg said.

"Let us men do the work!" Beast Boy yelled, puffing out his chest.

"Beast Boy, this isn't the time," Cyborg said. "Now get off the counter, grass stain. Before I get you down myself."

Beast Boy turned into a canary and flew from the counter to Starfire's shoulder. Cyborg shook his head.

"I don't believe you, B." Cyborg muttered, and sat down to wait for Robin.

Day: January 08

Location: A park in Jump City, New York

Point of View: Third Person

If Anthony Piers had been nervous when the Immortals had told him to kill Bruce Wayne, who was also Batman, now he was nearly petrified. The group leader, Aleric, had told him that he was to find the Teen Titan Robin, and taken him back to their base of operations. He had agreed. If he was scared of Robin, he feared Aleric more. The Titans wouldn't take his life, but the Immortals would.

Piers sighed and stared out at the lake. How in the world was he going to accomplish this task? He knew there was no way that he could just walk into Titans Tower, hit Robin over the head and drag him away. His friends would undoubtedly protest, and it would most likely be in a rather violent manner.

"I believe we can help one another," A man's voice spoke from behind Piers. He turned slightly. Surely this man couldn't know of his mission, could he?

There was no one behind him. "Who's there?" He asked, no fear in his voice. After dealing with the Immortals, this invisible man was nothing.

"You may call me whatever you choose, although most call me," The speaker stepped out of the shadow of the trees behind the lake beside which Piers was sitting. "Slade. What do you say we form an alliance, hm? I help you get Robin, and you lead me to the Immortals."

Piers thought about it for a moment. He'd read a few articles in the newspaper about this Slade man, and knew he was a very dangerous criminal. He couldn't be trusted to keep his word.

'Just my kind of friend,' Piers thought.

"Fine. I need Robin by the 11th. Get him to me, and I'll lead you to them when I take him." Piers said. He wasn't going to ask why Slade wanted to see the Immortals; his policy was, "Don't ask and you have nothing to tell." It was the law back when he was in his gang days.

"Excellent," Slade answered. "I shall have him here by the 10th at midnight. Don't be late." And with that, Slade disappeared back into the trees as quickly as he had come…

Angel Vanilla- Hi! I hope you liked this chapter. I'd update Fall to Pieces, but I don't have time. We have to take my dog's to the petsitter and get my sister (Mayumi Takanashi) out of school so we can get to our flight on time. Please review!