Author's Note:
Kudos to my reviewers!
J Potter: I'm updating! I'm updating!
Little Red Ravenhood: I'm glad you found it again. I plan on finishing it.
Pickles 12: Keep reading and you'll find out.
Phantom Fighter: I'm updating. I've never had anyone in total shock before. Cool.
Hieirulesall: Glad you like it. I'm updating.
Infamous One: Well, you can definitely expect something, all right.
Ladyjr16: You bet he's in trouble.
Closetwriter: My thoughts exactly.
Alexandru Van Gordon: Lazy? Did I hear you say "lazy?" Lazy? Do you know how late I stay up at night to get all of my homework done on the days I write? I sacrifice homework for this, and I'm in college. Consider the implications. Thanks for the review. If you get dizzy, try chewing on a little ginger.
Kaliann: Glad you liked it. Don't worry, he'll be getting even more parental later.
Chapter 34
Slade stared at Batman, slowly taking in the cowl, cape, mask, and suit that he was wearing. At first he couldn't believe his ears: a giant flying rodent telling him to let go of his apprentice? Impossible. "What was that?" he asked, as the taxi driver zoomed away. Apparently, he'd had enough of people in strange costumes arguing over one boy.
"I said, let go of my boy. Now." Batman's voice made him sound very, very dangerous.
"Your boy?" Slade said quietly. "Yours? He ceased to be yours the day he became my apprentice, Batman. You should realize that right now."
A small smile crossed Batman's face. "Whatever, Slade. Believe what you like."
He moved so quickly that no one on the bridge saw it: not the Titans, Randall, or even Slade himself. He flew across the small expanse separating him from the archvillian, wrestled Robin from his grasp, tossed him to the Titans and Randall, and began to battle Slade.
Randall was the first person to act once Robin was free of Slade. He darted forward, grabbed Robin, and pulled him into the cover of the fog, praying that Slade had not seen him. Starfire took Robin over then, trying to calm him, telling him that it was not necessary for him to fight; rather, Batman would be able to fight better knowing that he was safe.
Randall watched the two fighters while wrapping a scarf over his mouth and nose. He tied it, and then pulled up the hood of his jacket; tying it so that his head could move freely without constriction that would make it difficult to fight. He pulled out his weapon of choice—an aluminum bo staff—and proceeded to screw the three pieces together. He may yet be needed.
He had to quickly drop the staff and grab the back of Robin's shirt as the Boy Wonder darted forward to aid his mentor when Slade managed to get in a really vicious kick.
"Let me go!" Robin shouted. "He needs my help!"
"He needs you to stay here!" Randall told him. "He does not need you to put yourself within reach of Slade!"
Robin looked at him, not quite understanding.
"Slade wants you," Randall said, explaining. "That's why he's fighting Batman. Once he sees you away from us, he'll try to neutralize Batman and get you. With you away from us he'll be able to do that all too easily. Do you want to be Slade's prisoner again?"
That stopped him, but Randall could tell that the boy still wanted to run out there and help. Randall stood in front of him and the rest of the Titans, ready to dart in if necessary. After all, he wasn't the one that Slade was pursuing; at least, not right now he wasn't. He knew that could change if he made the wrong move. Having no other recourse until his help was needed; he began to pray. Most of the time praying helped him feel calmer. He could feel his knotted gut relax, his teeth unclenched, and his headache faded. Peace settled inside him, and he felt, if not ready, then capable.
Two hooks from Slade and a kick that planted itself in Batman's stomach knocked the Caped Crusader a good five feet away and left him gasping for breath. Randall made a leap that a panther would envy and landed right in front of Slade; arresting the villain's charge towards Robin. Slade skidded to a stop, glaring at him.
"I don't know who you are, but what you're doing is very, very dangerous," Slade hissed as he gasped for breath. "Get out of my way."
Slade saw the eyes above the black scarf smile. "Not likely, Slade," he said, throwing the name out like a curse. "You'd have to kill me to get me out of your way, I promise you that, you hell-born bastard."
Slade's eyes narrowed. "If you insist." He attacked Randall, and kept attacking. Randall could feel himself being driven back towards the Titans, shortening the distance between Slade and his prey. Realizing what this meant, Randall countered Slade's latest move and began an attack of his own, driving Slade back the way they had come. Fog swirled about them as they battled on the old bridge, and Randall prayed as he fought. He prayed that this night he would be able to put an end to Slade's machinations and thus end his childhood nightmares.
Randall knew that he was very, very good, but Slade was the more mad, and madness lent him a strength that even Randall's determination could not match. Randall saw the blow coming, couldn't block it in time, and felt himself go flying.
Starfire screamed as Randall headed toward the wall of the bridge, but he caught it at the last moment and kept himself from going over. Slade, ignoring him, began toward the Titans, his sights set on Robin.
All of the Titans were ready to fight, but they were saved the trouble by Batman attacking Slade from behind. They rolled here and there, battling one another, Slade shouting curses as he sensed that he was losing.
Randall pulled himself back up over the wall and rushed toward the battling pair; shouting to the Titans to get Robin out of there. As one, they piled into the van, and he caught a glimpse of Cyborg in the driver's seat. Slade, realizing what was happening, began screaming for the Titans to stop.
"Get out of here now!" Randall yelled, waving one hand to urge them on. "We'll be all right!"
With a screech, the van took off, and Randall turned to face Slade once more. The man had managed to knock Batman away, and it was only Batman's quick reflexes with a grappling hook that kept him from falling into the Seine.
Slade charged Randall, determined to make this stranger pay for the loss of his apprentice. Randall managed to block and parry most of Slade's blows, and the blows that did land he managed to lessen in force. He knew that Slade was angry and wished revenge on Batman and him, but he pushed that thought aside as he fought.
A whirlwind of fury and teenage anger came from nowhere, and Robin joined in the fight. Slade didn't even see him coming, and one right hook from the Boy Wonder sent Slade flying a good six feet.
"I thought I told you to get out of here!" Randall snapped, glaring at him. After all the trouble he'd gone to to make certain that he'd be out of Slade's reach…
"I had to come back," Robin said as Batman appeared at his side. "I couldn't leave you both behind."
All Batman did was put a hand on his protégé's shoulder. Randall shook his head. "On your head be it."
"That's what I had in mind," Robin said, taking his stance and getting ready to fight. Batman did the same.
"How touching," Slade growled as he picked himself up from the cobblestones of the bridge. "Unfortunately, Robin, you won't be seeing Batman again after tonight."
Robin glared at him. "Give the evil villain thing a break, would you? It's over, Slade."
Slade glared back. "Not likely, Robin. Like a bad dream, my boy, I just keep coming back. That's a promise."
That was when Randall lost it. Too many of his bad dreams had included Slade, and that final mention of them drove him over the edge. With an inarticulate howl, he went for Slade's head, bringing his bo staff down in a savage swing that knocked Slade to the cobbles once more. Slade was up in a moment, defending himself, and this new combat would not allow either Batman or Robin to step in. Randall was too far gone to listen to reason, and Slade had other things on his mind.
Neither protégé nor mentor realized what was about to happen until it was too late to stop it: Randall and Slade had reached the wall of the bridge, and a right hook from Slade sent Randall over the wall. Randall, seeking to save himself, had grabbed the nearest thing to him, and that had been Slade. Together, they went over the wall.
Batman and Robin rushed to the wall and looked over, trying to locate Randall or Slade, but the swirling waters of the Seine seemed to have swallowed them up. No matter where they looked, archvillain and mysterious friend had disappeared.
Robin kept staring at the water, waiting for Randall to surface and shout that he was all right, but it didn't happen. Batman put an arm around his shoulder and pulled him close; lending Robin the support he needed. Robin knew that a fall from that distance plus the turbulent waters below meant that neither one was coming back.
"I'll notify Randall's organization and the authorities about Slade's little side ventures," Batman said, squeezing Robin's shoulders a little. "I'm…sorry, Robin."
"It's all right," Robin croaked, fighting down a lump in his throat. "Could we go home, now?"
"Sure," Batman said, leading him away. "Let's go home."
