Alexnandru Van Gordan- ROFLMAO I know EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL! Believe me, if it were up to me, I wouldn't even write this stuff, but the idea was too good to pass up! Gives me shivers all the time! You have to understand though, as sick as Slade is (or fiendishly brilliant, depends on how you look at it), he has tried so hard to control Robin when our Boy Wonder was his apprentice. He never could, and now, he's taking advantage of Robin because he, literally, did not want to live anymore. Robin was done being Robin: his friends were dead, Batman wasn't going to bail him out, he was broken and bleeding, and the pain was just too much. That's why he came to Slade. He didn't come to be Slade's apprentice: he came to die. He wanted to, because he had nothing left to live for, but then Slade says that he can give Robin a life. At that point, Robin's just like, "I'm dead. Spiritually, I'm dead." And he doesn't care anymore. So he says "Sure, do whatever you want, because I'm through. If you're not going to kill me, at least make my existence as painless as you can. Do whatever you want with me, and be damned sure I don't remember it." Of course, Slade would not be Slade without taking advantage of an opportunity. To be honest, I do think that Slade is lonely. There's no one to talk to, no one who's even a challenge until Robin comes along. Robin's interesting. He thinks the same way, he has the same sort of drive behind his actions, and if you really think about it, the only thing that makes Slade different from Batman is that he's on the wrong side of the law. I view Slade as a mirrored version of Batman: while Bruce does his damnedest not to fall deeper into the abyss, Slade accepts it with open arms. It's that Slade/Batman comparison which makes Slade so intriguing to me, and what makes him such a wonderful villain. As Tim Drake once said, "A Batman needs a Robin", and I add, "and a Slade needs an Apprentice". It just, in this case, happens to be the same poor, screwed up boy LOL! Also, the Father/Son thing just goes to show you how bad things have gotten for Robin. He can't even remember his life beyond what Slade has told him, and he's just absolutely pathetic for the moment. He's completely brainwashed, and Slade has complete control over him. That will eventually change, however, thanks to the plan I'm cooking up... I'll give you a hint: the "Old Enemy" is someone we've seen, but was never the same twice. I'll even solve a mystery from the series too, so keep reading! Thanks for reviewing!
maroonedpirate11- LOL it's ok! I'd be like a whiny three-year-old too if this story was so good, I wanted more on the spot! LOL Thanks for the review! And here you go! MORE!
Maddie- Don't worry, you caught me on a really creative kick. More is on the way! Thanks for reviewing!
Mystyre- Yup, I'd figure that would throw people off, but I knew that the connections were there. No way would Batman agree to Robin having shock therapy... And don't worry, the next installment is coming faster than you'd think: I'm really on a roll here! Thanks for the note! I appreciate it!
Infamous One- (WARNING BELLS GO OFF!) DING DING DING DING! We have a winner! YES! It's Wonder Girl! That's exactly who this new girl is! You're the only one who's gotten it! Yeah, this girl is the original Wonder Girl, but I'm going to have to go with her named "Troia" This go around. Besides the fact that it sounds cool, I don't want to blend too much into the whole "Teen Titans/Justice League" thing. I've got to set each character apart from the rest of the DC universe, and Troia's no exception. So, she shall be named Troia in this series. And don't worry, her bracelets are there, I just haven't addressed them yet! (and I will in this next chapter... something to the extent of Beast Boy oohing and ahhing about it, I think... That would totally impress him, wouldn't it?) And yes, Slade has a soft spot for Robin. Always has. It's the reason why he saved Robin's life in Masks and the reason he pursued him in the Apprentice duo. It's just now, he's able to bring that out because of the fact that Robin doesn't remember how the first "apprenticeship" went about. He has no idea how bad it's gotten, and how bad it'll become when (or if, I'm not sure what I'll put in here) his rewritten memory becomes permanent. That would be really, REALLY insane if the change was permanent... Hmmmm... Can someone say, "Divergence"? OOOOO, I love being an insane, TT obsessed fan fiction writer! That sounds awesome! (Great, now I have another plot bunny to roll with... WOULD YOU FREAKIN' RODENTS STOP- (A massive landslide of plot bunny rabbits bury her completely) Ok FINE, I'll write! I'll write!) LOL anyway, thanks for reviewing!
KaliAnn- Yeah, I thought that was a cool aspect, and it would be the only way Slade could truly keep Robin under control. I thought, ever since I heard the line, "Who knows. I might even become like a father to you" from Apprentice pt. 2, whether that would've actually happened if Robin wasn't rescued. I was wondering if Robin would get Stockholm Syndrome, where he'd actually start believing everything Slade was telling him because of the constant exposure to him. So this was sort of a way to do it all faster. Either way, it really works, and it's a way to really explore Slade's character, as well as his relationship with Robin. And you've got it up now? I'll have to take a look at it! Awesome! Thanks for the review!
Aeris-Raven- YES! YES! The Titans are alive! But you won't find out how until a little later down the road. And Jinx had a part in it, although she didn't know she did. And you'll actually find out this new girl's powers pretty soon! And I've already revealed her name in my notes to my reviewers here (and will "officially" do it in the chapter today) so you don't have to worry! And yes, poor, poor, POOR ROBIN! He can't even remember his friends at this point. He's got no concept of life beyond or before Slade... It's sad... And yes, Slade is very, very evil, but also, he's just very lonely. He's wanted a son for years, a companion, someone he can confide in and someone he can belong with, and getting an apprentice was his way of doing it. Yes, it's a bad way for an actually human reason, but he also did it for other reasons. He needed a successor, and he needed something to control. THAT is what makes him such an amazing villain: he'd do anything to satisfy his companionship, as long as he can control it. He's basically a misunderstood control freak. He doesn't like surprises, and Robin, although the perfect companion, always gave him that constantly. But in a way, you can't think of Slade as "all bad", just as a reverse Batman: he's not bad, he's just on one side of the law, and not on the other. While Batman stands for triumph over evil and resorting to dark ways, Slade stands for triumph over good, resorting to dark ways, but also isn't totally bad. So, it depends on your point of view, I think. In a way, I actually pity Slade: he doesn't have someone like Batman has Robin. And that makes for a lonely person. Anyway, thanks for the review!
WOW. Just getting through the Author's Notes, and already I'm up to three pages in a word document! WOW! That's amazing!
You know, I started this fic September of last year, with five reviews, and I wasn't too sure of my talent in this area because I'd never done a Teen Titans fic before. At day one, I expected to fail at this, because I was a rookie at it, but I kept going, creating this story with a billion ideas in my head, and finishing (after a slight hiatus) on a spectacular note. Now, the first chapter gets 7 reviews, dozens of standing ovations, and I feel like the Queen of the Nile here! WOW! This is absolutely amazing: I've never had a really, really good start out like this one before (with the exception of one fic, because everyone seemed to jump on that like a pack of hyenas on an antelope (rolls eyes) crazy Summerland fans lol). I owe it all to you guys, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much! You've given me ideas and fueled my obsessions, and I can't even begin to express my gratitude. You've truly made this an amazing experience for me, and I can't thank you enough. This fic wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable for me to write as it is for you to read if you didn't touch my heart like you did. Thank you! You've restored my confidence in me a dozen times over, and I'll never forget it. Thank you!
Now, on to the good stuff! This chapter is where you'll learn the name of the mystery girl, and you'll begin to get a good idea of how bad Robin's gotten, and the like.
Oh did I mention a certain character by the name of Red X?
On with the show! (I'm so devious!)
The red clad girl gasped aloud, amazed at the sight before her. "The Teen Titans! You're the Teen Titans!" Wide-eyed, she surveyed the group of heroes, shocked. These were the Titans! The Teen Titans! But there was something different here...
She looked closer, and then, it dawned on her: these were different Titans. The girl known as Raven stood straighter, her deep blue cloak caked with dust and grime. Her hair was longer than usual, creeping down her back like overgrown ivy, and her face was even more stern and serious than usual. Starfire stood next to her, and the changes continued. Her hair was also longer, greasy and dirty, bangs grown out even more and curling behind her ears. Her clothes were torn in places, and the spark of childish innocence was gone from her eyes, the emerald orbs now dull and placid. Beast Boy stood to the left, a grim expression masking his emotions. Not a joke, it seemed, was in his heart, and all the fun had gone out of life for him. He was serious, something he almost never was, and patient, another off characteristic. Even Cyborg, whose helmet was not a bluish brown with mud, held is different sort of vigilance than expected, silently staring and at attention, not even bothering to be hotheaded over the leadership Raven now seemed to possess. It looked like they'd been through hell and back, and the absence of one seemed to speak volumes.
The girl looked around, and, rather naively, asked. "Where is the other?"
"I asked you a question," replied Raven, redirecting the conversation deliberately. "Who are you, and why are you here?"
"I came here because I needed a place to stay," she replied, slightly off-center with the witch's questions. "I just came from Star City, and I wanted to-"
"Star City?" asked Cyborg, interested. "That's where the Green Arrow's from."
"You know Ollie?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Speedy's a good friend of ours."
Delighted, she nodded. "Yeah, Roy's great, when he's not being an obsessive, over compulsive crime fighter, bent on evil's destruction." She kicked a pebble at the reeking streams of sewage, trying to avoid every route towards talking about her past; that was always a touchy area.
But Raven wouldn't let it go. "I repeat my previous question: who are you, and why are you here?"
"I told you, I came here because I-"
"No, you gave me an excuse. Do you really think I believe you have no place to stay? What about your own home, wherever you're from?"
The girl grimaced. She never wanted to delve into this when she had to... "I don't have a home."
"What?"
"I'm orphaned." She sighed. "I don't have a home. The last thing I remember about having an actual home was being a place where I felt I belonged. When I was there, I got these," she held up her twin bracelets on each arm, each onegleaming in the dim light, "and then, nothing. That happened about a couple years ago, and I've been looking to get back to that place for a long time now. Haven't seemed to find it, but I hope I will." Brightening a bit, she smiled. "Then I heard of a team of people who were just like me. They had powers the way I do, and they used them to help the world. I didn't have a purpose in my life, never really did, but then I heard about you guys. I thought that maybe, if I helped out once in awhile, if I was a Titan, I'd have a home, and a purpose, two things I've been without for longer than I can remember."
Beast Boy scowled slightly, disbelieving. "I'm not buying it. Why did you really come here?"
Puzzled, she glanced at him. "W-what?"
"Why did you really come here? You sound a bit too good, and too eager to be true."
"Since when were you ever suspicious of anyone?" she shot back, insulted. "I came here for a place to belong, and you'd rather shut me out! I thought you of all people would have welcomed me with open arms!"
"So you've heard of us?" asked Starfire, true to her nature and trying to make peace by diverting the conversation.
"Are you kidding? Everyone's heard of the Titans! Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy and-"
"And that's all," interrupted Raven, a slight, pained expression passing over her face for a flicker of a moment. "That's all."
Silence. Wait, there were five Titans, weren't there? She thought there were five. Raven, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy and... "Where's Robin?"
Starfire answered sadly. "There is no Robin. Not any more."
Twenty minutes was a long time to sleep, and Robin was glad for it. He'd pleased his father, and he'd made him proud. Now, he enjoyed his reward like a little kid, gobbling up every scrap of it before it was taken away again. He was actually looking forward to it: It wasn't often he'd spend twenty minutes alone in his room.
He took off the metal plates of his uniform, stripped off his gloves and threw his boots on the floor, going as fast as he could until there was nothing left to do. Hopping into bed, he fluffed the pillow and instantly drifted off to sleep, expecting nothing but rejuvenation, just like his adrenaline shots. However, this wasn't like them at all. At least those didn't have side effects. Sleep, however, had one major one.
He began to dream.
In his mind's eye, there he was with a girl. Strange, alien, orange skin with red hair the color of strawberries in the summertime. Her eyes were emerald green, beautiful pools of the greenest grass, and she smiled and laughed at a joke he'd told to her on top of a Ferris Wheel. He could feel himself laughing at it too, and was surprised to see his uniform had changed from the cold, metallic metal to green gloves and a black and yellow cape. His mask was different too, less raked, less feral, and more warm, friendly. An "R" made of cloth replaced the cool, harsh and wicked "S" above his left breast, and the scene seemed somehow familiar, like a distant memory he no longer remembered. The girl he was with, he knew her, knew her very well, but his mind was wrapped in fog, completely oblivious to one thing.
He couldn't remember her name.
Moments later, he could see himself with a weirdly colored green boy, the pointed elf ears accenting his comically mussed jade hair. His bright eyes laughed with silent jokes while he furiously gripped a game controller, concentrating on beating the crap out of him in a racing game. He had a few pieces of celery in his mouth, and it dawned on Robin that this boy was a vegetarian. He wouldn't eat meat, no matter what the cost.
Why he was that way, Robin had no idea.
His uniform was ripped and shredded, and he felt her in his mind. Like a soft whisper, he could sense her presence like a sixth sense, easing his pounding heart and bruised body. Her head was usually covered in a dark blue hood in battle, her eyes glowing white with explosive power. She'd weathered storms with him, helped him, guided him when he needed it and he'd done the same for her. She was a confidant, a close friend, but for the life of him, he didn't know why.
He couldn't recall when they'd met.
The last was a hulking figure, African-American with most of his body encased in machinery. Hot headed and not the least bit trite, he was an extraordinary engineer, building things with remarkable accuracy and little error. He'd been there too, when they were all together, one red, glowing eye taking in everything and analyzing, understanding, figuring things out like a superhuman computer. He'd laughed at his jokes, been on some sort of missions with them, left and came back within days, and never let him down.
But his vigilance and trust couldn't evoke any memory in Robin's mind.
Finally, he saw a time before them, a dark, imposing figure towering over him, a wraithlike shadow among the darkness. It was a man unlike any other, pushing him, training him, sometimes controlling him in a way he didn't like, but nevertheless respected. He saw himself practicing kung fu, jujitsu, boxing and tae-kwon-do, earning the right to wear the uniform he'd seen before. The figure wore an imposing mask, two raked, horn looking things springing from the top, and a permanent frown fixed on his face. His body was chiseled to perfection underneath a dark grey uniform, a symbol of an animal emblazoned on his chest. Robin knew him, he knew he knew him, but all he could do was stare, dumbfounded.
He couldn't remember the shadow of the bat, or the face behind it.
His alarm jolted him awake, and he jumped up, soaked in sweat. Closing his eyes, he rubbed them with his fingers, trying to sort out the images in his mind. Why were these people so familiar? Why were they burned in the back of his mind, people he knew he should know, but had no idea why he didn't? Why were they tormenting him like they did?
Moaning, he sat there, trying to comprehend. What life was he remembering? Why now? He was happy with his life: his father was fair and just, his way the only way. He'd trained Robin since birth, been with him for every moment of every day of his life. So what were these images of something else entirely? Why did they seem important?
He couldn't figure it out. It just baffled him even more.
"Robin." His father was calling him.
"Yes, Father?"
"Time's up. I hope you had a good sleep."
He hesitated. Should he tell his father this? Should he tell him about the images? "It was... not what I expected."
"Oh? In what way?"
"Father, have you been lying to me? For my own good?"
Silence. "Where would you ever get such an idea, my boy?"
"I've been having these dreams... of something else. People I feel like I've known but-"
"Let me guess: was it a group of people, an orange alien, a half-machine like creature? Maybe a green elf and a witch in a blue hood?"
Surprised, Robin yelped. "How, how'd you..."
"How did I know? You forget, Robin: I know you better than you do." Slade's voice dropped from commandeering to sympathetic. "Don't worry about them, Robin. They're not your friends anymore. I made sure of that when I killed them."
When he'd killed them? "Where they friends of-"
"No. You see, those were the Teen Titans, son. They're a ruthless bunch of miscreants that terrorized our city and killed innocent people. They were so powerful, so evil that I had to do what's best." He could practically see his father balling his fists. "I had to kill them. They were monsters, Robin. They were sick, twisted monsters that needed to be put down like the dogs they were."
"But, what I saw of them in my mind, they were... nice. Friends almost."
"That's what they wanted you to think. You see, the hooded one was a witch, a very, scheming, conniving half-demon witch who wanted to turn you against me. Shake off those images, Robin: they're only false memories. They tried to turn you against me, take you away from me, but I brought you back to the side you rightfully belong to. I couldn't bear to fight my own son, so I did everything to save you."
"There was another one... a man. Dressed in black, and he had some sort of symbol on his chest. I felt like I knew him."
"That was the mastermind behind the plot, Robin: The Batman. He's the reason why you were turned against me. You see, he wanted you to be his... apprentice. His ward, his accomplice. He was a demon who couldn't bear to have you fight on anyone else's side except his. So he used his henchmen, a couple of kids, to forcibly take you from my side, and implanted memories inside your own mind to keep you from me." Another pause. "But you do know which set of memories is right and wrong... do you?"
Robin nodded, although his father couldn't see it, and smiled, relieved, dismissing his early wariness and banishing the dreams from his mind. "Yes. I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Father."
"It's alright. Just make sure it doesn't happen again. Now, I want you to do a perimeter check of the city. I've heard from a few of my drones that one of the Batman's henchmen has recently entered the city. She's new, someone I've never encountered, so be on your guard: there's no telling what she is able to do."
He became resolute, and started to attach the armor to his uniform. He had work to do. "I'll see to it, Father. Don't worry: I'll do whatever you say."
"Good boy."
"And that's the jist of it," explained Cyborg, addressing the girl. "Ever sense we woke up, we've been laying low, Doing what we can to stay alive. Slade's got complete control over Robin, thanks to whatever's been done to him, and the city's gone to crap."
Raven agreed. "I've tried to find a way into his mind, but I can't seem to get anywhere close. Whatever's happened to Robin, it's completely blocking my mental powers from reaching him. Either something physical is blocking it or-"
"Or somehow, he doesn't want the connection," finished the girl, puzzling over it.
"No way! There's no way he'd intentionally block Rae! Unless he..." Beast Boy gasped, an idea popping into his mind.
The girl picked up on it, and nodded, speaking what already dawned on her. "Unless he doesn't even remember you." She smiled bitterly, and continued. "I'm thinking Slade did something to him. From what I know about Slade, which, is probably as much as you guys, he's bad news. Whatever he wants, he gets, and from the horror stories I've heard in Star City, I've got a feeling that he wanted Robin."
"Slade is all about control," admitted Raven. "Believe me, I know that better than anyone. When he worked for my father, I almost completely dominated me, just to send me the message I've known since birth."
"Why didn't he come to us though? We could've-"
It was then that Starfire spoke up, surprising everyone because they realized she hadn't said a thing for quite awhile. "I believe that you are right, Friend Cyborg, but we have forgotten one important thing. He believes us to be dead, so contacting us by our communicators would be improbable."
"But why would he turn to Slade? Why would he willingly be with him?"
The situation was uncanny. The red clad girl sighed, instantly recognizing the situation for what it was. "Because he didn't have anything else to live for. His friends were dead, he had nowhere to go, and existence is painful. No home, no purpose, and he wanted no pain. Robin wanted to die, and if he was going to live, he'd want it to be as painless as possible."
They all turned to her and stared, slack jawed.
She shrugged. "I've had experience. Lots of experience."
"Then if Robin's under some sort of brainwashing, we need to figure out how to break it," said Raven. "My telepathy won't be enough."
"Maybe it's time for the Titans to rise again. Maybe that'll jog his memory," suggested Cyborg, anxious. "If we can reappear, then the hold Slade has on him will-"
"Wait." They all turned to stare at her, and she blushed, fingering her knapsack. "Slade knows you all. Every single one of you he can shoot on sight, and Robin would never even know you were there. And I'm too new for him to instantly connect with. However," she grinned, thinking. "I have a friend who just might be what Robin needs. He could get closer to Robin than any of us could."
"Yeah? Who?"
"You'll see!" she told Cyborg, and they all stared at her as she shot off, flying towards the sewer drain entrance with relative ease.
"Whoa, you can fly?" yelped Beast Boy in awe.
"Yeah, and my bracelets are bullet proof!" she replied, moving the lid aside. "You should see me when my super strength kicks in! And by the way, my name's Troia!" And with swiftness, she flew out, replaced the lid and left, leaving the Titans behind her in the darkness.
"I like her."
"Beast Boy, you like everybody new who comes in."
"Ouch, that was harsh, Rae."
''It's true though. And we have a bad history when it comes to letting people join the team."
"Hate to say it, Rae, but I think Beast Boy's right. She doesn't have that same vibe Terra did, and think about it: Terra was good in the end. She wasn't entirely evil."
"Will Friend Troia become a Teen Titan, Friend Raven? Please?She has the strength of ten gnarlpoles and can fly. She is like me without my starbolts! We can be friends!"
"Yeah, why is it that the girls get to fly? I want to fly!"
"You can when you morph into a bird, BB."
"That doesn't exactly help, Cy."
Raven sighed, feeling pressured. "If she can pull through with this friend of hers, then for the moment, we'll give her honorary membership. Without Robin, we're at a disadvantage, and we need all the help we can get."
A shadow passed along the wall, and a cape billowed out amongst the darkness. Glaring out of a mask covering their face, the figure shifted from shadow to shadow, flitting between visible and invisible so as not to be seen. "I've heard all I need to know," the voice said, their voice garbled by an electric voice changer. "This might actually be kind of fun."
He'd heard what she said, didn't say, and agreed. Robin needed a bit of convincing that he wasn't Slade's toy, and if it was going to help the Titans, it might be mutually beneficial for this sneak thief as well.
A slim figure moved from rooftop to rooftop, faster than he expected, and he stared, wide eyed, at a boy in a black and orange uniform, complete with all the metallic plate trimmings. Hmm, seemed like Robin was a bit too eager to resume his life as Slade's apprentice after all...
Tailing him, the other kept out of sight. The longer he watched the former Boy Wonder, the better he could gauge the situation. And, the better he could get to know him again. The last time had ended so... short.
"And so the fun begins," said Red X, smiling behind his skeleton's mask. "Time for my coming out party."
