DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, this would be on TV and not here.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This doesn't take place in the same storyline as my "Forced Base" and "Fractured Heart" stories, so forget those when you're reading this. Also, this takes place after the fourth season, so anything that happens in the show after that isn't applicable to this. Also, about Sanza/Red X: When he's wearing the mask, he's Red X. When he's not, he's Sanza. Simple as that.
O-O-O
Knowing that the Teen Titans would probably take at least an hour to get to sleep after taking Control Freak off to jail, Sanza waited until just after three to put on his Red X costume and head over to the tower.
He entered the tower the same way that he had when he'd broken in to steal Raven's mask: through the underwater T-Sub entrance, past the marine supply storage room, and up to the first hallway he found. Unlike the last time, however, security wasn't nearly as tight, and he found that he could walk the now-darkened halls without being detected. Despite this, he tried to be as quiet as he could... the Titans were asleep, and any errant noises could easily awake them. He walked all the way to the front room of the tower before stopping to work out a plan in his mind.
Could Red X really go through with killing the Teen Titans in their sleep? If he couldn't, Slade's retaliation would likely be swift... but after all that X had gone through to gain at least some of the Titans' trust, killing them now would be...
"This is what has to be done," thought Red X, extending his arm blades and exiting the main room through the large white door at the back, walking down the long hallway toward the elevator. "And I know who I have to go after first..."
And that person was Starfire. If X could kill her, killing the other Titans would be a snap... and it was certainly best to get the most difficult job out of the way first.
Red X stepped into the elevator, pressing the button that would take him up to the tenth floor, and the Titans' rooms, where all of them were supposedly sound asleep. As the elevator slowly went up the long shaft leading to the tenth floor, Red X sat slumped against the wall, staring at the blades coming out of his wrists.
"They're sharp..." thought Red X, looking down and noticing the shine from the elevator's dim light coming off of the blade. "It shouldn't take more than one slash across the throat... she won't suffer... she'll just-"
The elevator stopped, but instead of getting out, X continued to slump against the far wall, his head resting against his hands, which were now trembling.
"You can do this, X..." he thought, slowly standing up and walking out of the elevator. "You have to do this... think of mom and Maddy... think of Slade watching them in their sleep, right now... think of..."
And as Red X began to think of Slade... his ever-present gaze probably locked on Maddy's sleeping form, watching her as she dreamt peacefully on her bed, his fists clenched tightly, his teeth gritting in anger. He'd come to Titans Tower to get the Teen Titans to help him end Slade's reign of terror once and for all... so why was he the one who ended up doing Slade's dirty work?
"He'll kill my family..." thought Red X, slowly opening the door to Starfire's room. As it slid open, he remembered the last time he'd been in here... he was looking for Raven's room, but had stumbled in here instead. The room was as beautiful as X remembered it, and its wonderful aroma had only become more pleasant in his absence. It only took a brief look to see Starfire, her eyes closed, her body stretched out on her soft, pink bed, uncovered by blankets or sheets. Her stomach slowly moved up and down with her slow breaths, its soft skin visible due to the fact that Starfire wore her midriff costume to bed.
X slowly walked over to her, his sharp blades extended from his wrists.
"I can't let myself think about this..." Red X thought, lowering both of the blades to Starfire's neck and crossing them like a pair of scissors. But as he looked down at her beautiful face, her hair stretched out over the end of the bed and her eyes gently closed, he couldn't help thinking about what he was going to do. What he had to do to protect his family... "It won't hurt her... it won't hurt Starfire..."
But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't bring himself to move the blades toward Starfire's neck, even a fraction of an inch. There they were, poised in perfect position to end Starfire's life in one motion, and Red X couldn't move the blades. He kept thinking of everything Starfire had told him... her kindness, her beautiful voice forgiving him for his actions, her soft lips brushing across his...
Red X retracted the blades into his wrists and collapsed to his knees beside Starfire's bed. Turned away from her, he ripped off his mask, hurled it to the floor, and put his face into his hands.
"What is wrong with me?" thought Sanza, nearly beginning to sob as he realized that no matter what Slade had told him, no matter how much danger his family was in, he couldn't kill Starfire... in fact, he couldn't kill any of the Titans. Ever since he'd taken the Red X suit, they'd been nothing but obstacles in his way, but he couldn't bring himself to kill them, even to save his family's life. Holding back his tears, he picked up his mask, stood up, and slowly began to walk out of the room, hanging his head in sadness and shame.
It was then that Starfire groggily sat up in her bed, rubbed her eyes, and saw Sanza just starting to walk out the door of her room. With a gasp of surprise, she let out a quiet scream.
"What are you doing in my room?" asked Starfire, more surprised than angry.
Sanza sighed and turned around, hoping that he could come up with a story that would appease Starfire, who was probably startled out of her wits.
"Well, I-"
He couldn't. Sanza knew he'd have to tell the truth, as terrible as it might be.
"After you guys left, and I went back to my room... I got a call from Slade," Sanza said reluctantly. "He told me to come here and kill all of you."
Starfire's eyes grew wide, but instead of gasping again, she remained silent, wondering why Sanza was walking the opposite way from her if he was really going to kill her. Then, she too realized why Sanza had been trying to leave.
"...and you did not wish to do that, did you?" asked Starfire softly. Sanza nodded, his eyes reflecting a sad sincerity that Starfire hadn't seen from him before.
"I... I tried to kill you first, and I got up to your bed, but when I held the blade to your neck, I... I just couldn't do it, Star... I couldn't go through with-"
"I know, Sanza," said Starfire, climbing out of her bed and walking over to him, unafraid that Sanza might still try to kill her. She believed him when he said he'd never intentionally hurt her, and knew that if he couldn't bring himself to kill her while she was asleep, he certainly wouldn't try while she was awake. "You are our friend-"
"No, I'm not," said Sanza, turning away from Starfire. "Don't try to confuse honor and our alliance with friendship. I'll still a thief, and I'm only teaming up with you to take out Slade. If it wasn't more convenient to keep all of you alive-"
Just like that, Sanza was putting on his 'tough act' again. But Starfire could detect the nervousness in his voice, and she could instantly see how vulnerable and scared Sanza truly was. The only reason he'd come to the tower was because his family was in danger... and if he was willing to put his family in danger just to keep the Titans alive, he certainly thought of them as more than 'partners of circumstance'.
"We will fight Slade together... you, and me, and the rest of the Titans... and together, we will keep your family safe..." said Starfire, her hand reaching out to touch Sanza's shoulder.
"I tried to kill you," replied Sanza, surprised that Starfire would actually be so willing to help him just seconds after he'd had a blade to her throat, ready to extinguish her life. "There's a real fine line between kind and naive, and I think she just crossed it."
But Starfire's naiveté extended only to matters of Earthly customs. When it came to relationships with others and knowing whom to trust, she knew her conscience to be an excellent guide. Sanza wasn't a dangerous or cruel person... he needed help, help to save both himself and his family from the dangerous machinations of Slade... and if Starfire couldn't give that help, what kind of superheroine was she?
"And we are trying to help you..." said Starfire, her gentle voice immediately making Sanza realize that he had nothing to fear from an alliance with the Titans. He'd made the right decision in leaving them alive... and if Starfire trusted him, he would have to trust her to protect his family.
"Thank you," said Sanza, once more slipping on his Red X mask and walking out of the room. "Now if you excuse me, I'd like to get back to bed... there's still a bed in that Terra girl's room, right?"
With a nod, Starfire gently shut the door behind Red X before returning to her own bed and lying back down on its soft surface. She too had her doubts about trusting Sanza... trusting Red X so soon after he'd apparently been within seconds of killing her.
But if he felt the same way about her that she felt about Robin, she knew she had nothing to fear.
"Because I would never harm Robin..." thought Starfire, gently closing her eyes. "And the enemy of my enemy is my friend... which is why I know that Red X will be a great help in our battle against Slade."
O-O-O
After a dreamless night, Red X awoke in the still-decorated room of the Titans' former comrade, Terra. The beautiful night sky and rocky canyon murals were a far cry better than the drab, white, poster-slathered walls of the room Red X normally had to sleep in, and even the bed was better, its firm mattress a relaxing experience for X's back.
Slade's dark mission having faded like a distant memory, Red X's only concern now was to keep his alliance with the Titans long enough to end Slade's control over him and his family once and for all. He sat up in the bed and stretched out his arms, giving a yawn before standing up and walking out of the room, striding down the hallway toward the elevator.
Starfire's recent words were still fresh in Red X's mind... "we will fight Slade together... you, and me, and the rest of the Titans... and together, we will keep your family safe."
It was a promise as sacred as his own promise not to hurt Starfire. It was a promise he'd almost broken the previous night, but despite this, Starfire still trusted him... still wanted to be his friend.
"Just friends," thought Red X, stepping into the elevator and standing still as it made its way to the ground floor of the tower. "At least you're with someone who will protect you better than I can. I can barely keep my own family safe..."
Red X stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hallway toward the main room of the tower. As the door opened, Robin, who'd been sitting on the couch waiting for breakfast, greeted Red X with a smile and a wave.
"So you decided to come back, huh?" Robin asked, watching as Red X entered the room and walked right down the center, toward the front door of the Tower. "Maybe after breakfast, we can begin training again and-"
"I'd love to, but I've got school," replied Red X, not even bothering to look at Robin as he walked toward the door. "The only reason I came here is because Slade sent me to kill you. But that would be breaking our alliance, so I didn't do it. What I need all of you to do is pretend to be dead until we fight Slade. Can you do that?"
"Uh... well, if we get a call from the city-" Robin began, knowing that the Titans couldn't pretend to be dead if an enemy attacked.
"Just forget it," Red X replied, walking out the door. As he did, one last thing came to Robin's ears. "If my family dies though, the deal is off."
The front door of the tower closed behind Red X, allowing Robin to sit at the couch and ponder what X had said. Slade's instructions must've been incredibly specific for Red X to come to the Tower because of them. Either he was coming to reaffirm the alliance so the Titans could take care of Slade faster, or...he was coming to the Tower to kill the Titans, and was waiting for the perfect time to strike.
Either way, Red X had given no indication that he was about to betray the deal he'd made with the Titans. Starfire hadn't told him about the incident in her room the previous night, so for all Robin knew, X had walked in the front door, fallen asleep in one of the rooms upstairs, maybe Terra's, and was ready to begin training with the Titans again.
Robin continued to think, but a call from the kitchen quickly alerted him to the table at which the Titans normally ate. Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were already there, hastily eating the breakfast that Cyborg had prepared.
"Say, did any of you guys see X this morning?" asked Robin, placing a pair of eggs on his plate. Starfire had seen him even before then, but she didn't say a word.
"He came back?" asked Cyborg, a slightly surprised look on his face. "What made him change his mind?"
"Apparently, Slade's increased the pressure on his family," replied Robin. "He came here to kill us, but instead of doing that, he just wants Slade to think we're dead."
"I see..." said Raven, quietly listening to the conversation as she ate. Meanwhile, Beast Boy transformed into a dog and played dead on the floor, obviously wanting to make a joke of Robin's comment. Raven, not finding his joke funny in the least, flicked an egg that landed on the green dog, who instinctively licked it off with his canine tongue without realizing what he was doing. "You know you just ate a baby chicken, right?"
Immediately, Beast Boy detransformed, pretending to throw up onto the floor.
"Oh, real mature, Raven!" Beast Boy shouted at the blue-cloaked girl, who merely ignored him and continued eating her breakfast.
"Guys, this is serious," said Robin, a somber look appearing on his face. "If we don't do something about this situation soon, Red X might be forced to take matters into his own hands."
"What about putting Sanza's family under police protection?" Cyborg suggested, quickly causing Robin to shake his head.
"This is Slade we're talking about here. If we're BARELY able to stop Slade, how would a few police officers be able to do anything? We'd have to get half the cops in the city to even begin to have the protection we'd need," said Robin.
Starfire, concerned for both Sanza and his family, offered a suggestion of her own.
"Perhaps we could bring them all here and allow them to stay until the danger is past!" said Starfire. "Sanza has an absolutely wonderful sister, and I am sure that-"
"That wouldn't work either," said Robin, shaking his head. "We can't disrupt their lives like that, and besides, they'd wonder why we needed them here in the first place. That would require that Sanza tell his family about Red X... and I think that's a decision Sanza should be able to make on his own."
"Well, Sanza's probably coming back here after school gets out, so I'll get a training stage made up for him," said Cyborg, picking up his empty plates and dishes and walking over to the sink. "By the time he gets here, it should be tougher than anything he's ever experienced... including us!"
After Cyborg left, Beast Boy and Raven also finished their breakfasts and left the room, leaving Robin and Starfire alone in the kitchen to talk.
Ever since Starfire had been kissed by Sanza, she couldn't stop thinking about Robin, and how he'd never shown such affection to her... how he'd never really admitted his feelings like Sanza had. She knew he had a good reason... he was protecting her, and he wasn't the kind of person to just show his feelings to anyone, even someone like her.
Robin, on the other hand, had been amazed by how accurately Sanza had been able to pick out his feelings for Starfire... and what he'd told him about showing those feelings. At the first sign of affection, someone like Slade could pounce... and that would put both Robin and Starfire in danger.
"Robin... yesterday, Sanza told me... he told me that I could see the goodness in people that I was fighting, even if they were terrible criminals... Robin, is that true? Am I really too sympathetic for the people that we are trying to catch?"
The question was sudden, and Robin didn't quite know how to answer right away. Part of what Sanza said, however, Robin knew was true. Starfire was especially skilled at seeing the good in people... but for all the kindness she had, it didn't in the least effect her ability to fight. What Robin admired about Starfire was that she could be both gentle and strong, and knew exactly when she needed to be what. Such a mix of strength and kindness was unlike anything Robin had ever seen in any other individual, and that was why he... why he had such strong feelings for someone like Starfire.
"Star, you know exactly how I think about you... you're the strongest girl I've ever met, and the bravest, too."
"But Robin... am I-"
"Is this about what I've been saying to her over the past few days? That she's too nice to Red X?" thought Robin, realizing just what Starfire might be getting at. "Every instinct she's had about him has been right so far... if anything, I might've been too harsh with him."
Or was it something else? Was Starfire trying to draw an emotion out of Robin, like she'd been able to occasionally do in the past? Robin knew that he couldn't let Starfire know exactly how he felt about her... if the two of them both got caught up in emotion, it would certainly effect their ability to fight. At least that's what Robin had been taught...
"Starfire, you're just fine... that's great that you're able to see the goodness in people, Star... sometimes you can see emotions and thoughts in people that I can't," said Robin, which, while slightly satisfying, wasn't quite the answer Starfire was looking for.
She'd have to use a different approach to get the response she wanted... she really didn't want to tell Robin this, for fear of how he might react... she knew that he was hiding some of his feelings for her, and though he didn't show them, he still had them nonetheless.
"Also, yesterday... during our conversation, Sanza sort of... he sort of... kissed me," said Starfire, immediately causing Robin's eyes to widen. "On the lips."
Without knowing it, Robin could feel the jealousy swirling through him. And with that jealousy came a bit of anger...
"He kissed you?"said Robin, just below the level of a shout. "Starfire, did you ask him to kiss you, or-"
"No, he just... we were talking, and before I knew it, our lips were touching... it was not unpleasant, but-"
"Not unpleasant?" thought Robin, a bit surprised and suddenly a bit more jealous. He turned away from Starfire, trying to conceal the nervous twitch that was starting to take hold of his body, and the frown that was slowly forming on his face. "Uh, Star... I mean, I know he likes you, but-"
It was now or never for Starfire, who knew that she had to tell Robin something she'd been trying to reveal slowly to him for quite some time. She cared deeply for Robin, just as much if not more than Sanza cared for her. Maybe if she told him the truth... maybe if she opened up, then he'd pull back the curtain just a little bit... maybe Robin would-
"Robin, I-"
"Starfire, would you like to... I mean, later on today, maybe you and I could... go out?"
Robin almost couldn't believe what he was saying, but the words still escaped his lips, and his eyes stared deeply into Starfire's, while on his face, his frown had become a nervous, slight smile.
"...of course, Robin!" Starfire's voice was one of slightly restrained jubilance. "I mean, I am... I am your girlfriend, correct?"
"So she hasn't forgotten..." thought Robin, his nervousness fading slightly as a normal, calm look returned to his face. "Sure, Starfire... I guess if you wanted to, you could call this a-"
"Do not tell me, I know the Earth meaning of 'date'," said Starfire, still smiling excitedly. "I do not wish to spoil this or anything, but... what about the training of-"
"Cyborg's making up the training program, and Beast Boy and Raven will be here... I'm sure they can handle working with Red X until we get back," said Robin, standing up and still smiling at Starfire. "Besides, after all the stressful stuff that's been going on lately, it'll be nice to be able to go out and have a relaxing time."
Starfire stood up and immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Robin's back, squealing with joy as she embraced him.
"Most wonderful!" said Starfire, slowly releasing her hold on Robin. "I assure you, we will have a very enjoyable time!"
Starfire walked out of the kitchen with a spring in her step, leaving Robin alone by the table. He too slowly walked out, a smile still on his face as he thought of Starfire.
"We both deserve a break..." thought Robin. "And Starfire deserves to be happy... especially after everything she's been through."
O-O-O
Sanza exited the school building, feeling as he almost always did after a hard day of school... glad that it was over, and tired after having done all that difficult schoolwork.
Of course, his real work for the day was just beginning... after a quick trip home to pick up his Red X suit, he'd be going back to Titans Tower, training with them for what would certainly be a difficult battle with Slade.
But as he walked over to the bus, he heard a familiar voice calling him from the school parking lot.
"Hey, Sanza!" shouted Cleo, sitting in the parking lot and waving to him from the driver's seat of her car as he neared the bus. "Wanna ride home with me today?"
Since the weekend, Sanza had seen Cleo only in a couple of his classes... he knew he'd been neglecting her, and he also knew that after kissing Starfire, kissing Cleo just wouldn't feel... adequate? Was that the proper word? Well, at least it wouldn't feel the same. Still, Cleo was his friend, and at the moment, the two were a couple. Unofficially, from Sanza's standpoint, but still a couple. He walked over to her car, opening the passenger door and climbing inside.
"I haven't seen you since Algebra II class... you remember our date Saturday, right?" asked Cleo, a smile on her face.
"How could I forget?" replied Sanza, leaning over and kissing Cleo on the lips. Sure enough, it didn't feel the same... Cleo's lips didn't have the same soft, tender texture that Starfire's had... Star's lips even tasted better than Cleo's, despite her cherry-flavored lip balm. "Haven't been in this car before..."
"It's nice, isn't it?" asked Cleo, leaning over to Sanza. "I can't tell you how many little brats I had to babysit to get this thing... I think I know every episode of Barney by heart."
Sanza chuckled, leaning back to his seat and reaching up to feel the soft upholstery of the car's ceiling.
"I still have to babysit and work at the fast food place just to pay the insurance on this thing," said Cleo, with a look of disgust. "You know who really runs the world?"
"Uh... George W. Bitch?" Sanza replied.
"Hell no," said Cleo, turning the key in her ignition and starting the car. "Insurance companies. I mean, there are laws to make you get car insurance, which is the only reason that they can get away with charging so damn much! I'm telling you, it's just one big corporate racket, and-"
"Watch out!" said Sanza, reaching over and grabbing the steering wheel just as Cleo was about to back into a student. Cleo gasped, hitting the brakes just inches away from the student. "She's almost as distracted as I am..."
"That was close, huh?" Cleo giggled, waiting for the student to pass before backing out the rest of the way and driving out of the parking lot. "Geez, if I'd have hit him they'd probably jack my insurance up another two hundred a month..."
Cleo drove through the streets of the city, reaching Sanza's street in less than five minutes. As she reached the final intersection before Sanza's apartment, she turned to him, a smile on her face.
"You wanna... I mean, not a date, but like... get something to eat before I take you back home?" asked Cleo.
"I should probably be getting over to Titans Tower..." Sanza thought, looking down at his watch. "Eh... I can at least get something to eat before I go. Can't train on an empty stomach anyway... okay Cleo, sure, wherever you wanna go."
"Awesome!" said Cleo, turning right onto another street and driving until she reached the burger restaurant where she worked. "With my employee discount, I can totally get us some food for half-price. Is that okay with you?"
"Since I don't have any money with me, I guess it is," said Sanza as Cleo pulled her car into the parking lot. "I guess I'll pay you back tomorrow-"
"That's okay, like I said, it's half-price since I work here," replied Cleo, turning the key in the ignition and stepping out of the car. "C'mon, let's go!"
O-O-O
Sanza and Cleo spent nearly two hours in the restaurant, mostly talking about all sorts of different subjects. While Cleo wasn't Starfire, she was a great friend... witty, friendly, always fun to be around. It was no surprise to Sanza that he'd spent two hours talking to her, and when she took him back home, he almost didn't want to leave. Still, he knew that the Titans would be expecting him, and there'd be plenty of time for dating after Slade was defeated.
"I had a really awesome time, Sanza..." said Cleo, stopping the car in front of the apartment where Sanza lived. "You're definitely the coolest guy I've ever met."
"Thanks," replied Sanza, opening his door and starting to step out of the car. "You're pretty cool yourself..."
"Hey," she said, gently tugging on his arm as he tried to leave the car. He looked at Cleo, who had a sly smile on her face. "You can't go just yet..."
"Why is-"
But before Sanza could speak, Cleo wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him into a long, sensual kiss, her tongue slipping deeply into his mouth. She held her lips against his for nearly ten seconds before slowly allowing Sanza to pull away.
"I can't believe I almost forgot that..." said Sanza, smiling as sweat started to drip down his face. "Damn, maybe I should really rethink this whole Starfire thing..."
"Maybe on Saturday, you won't forget..." said Cleo, waving to Sanza as she slowly pulled away in her car. "Seeya, Sanza!"
Sanza stood on the sidewalk for several seconds, still slightly flustered from Cleo's kiss. Finally, he composed himself enough to walk up the fire escape to his window.
"Hopefully by then," thought Sanza, climbing through the window into his room, "Slade will already be history..."
O-O-O
This time, Red X could enter the tower through the front door, knowing that the Titans were expecting him. When he entered the main room of the tower, however, he couldn't see any of the usual signs of activity that he'd come to expect. Instead, he could hear the sounds of a video game being played on the big screen television, and that was about it. When he took a closer look, he saw Beast Boy seated on the couch.
"You're late," said Beast Boy, not turning from his game as Red X walked up behind the couch.
"Where are the others?" asked Red X, staring at the video game on the screen. "Did they get tired of waiting for me?"
"Robin and Starfire left a short time ago to go on a date," said Beast Boy. Red X jumped back, a look of shock on his face under the mask.
"Damn..." thought Red X, looking down at the floor and sighing. "Guess Starfire must've taken my advice..."
"You're not mad, are you?" Beast Boy asked, pausing his game and looking back at Red X with a smile. "I mean, I know you like Starfire-"
"Shut up, or I'll make you shut up," replied Red X in an annoyed tone. "What about the other two? Raven and Cyborg? Are they going out on a date too?"
"Heh, that'll be the day," thought Beast Boy, leaning back on the couch. "Actually, Cyborg's outside in the training area, and Raven is-"
"Training area, got it," said Red X, walking out of the room. "Maybe he can get me another battle with that Slade simulation..."
O-O-O
"Where is he?" grumbled Cyborg, adjusting several wires on the inside of the training console before closing it back up and screwing a few bolts back into place. "It's more than two hours after his school gets out... I wonder if he got held up by Slade?"
Cyborg knew that Robin and Starfire were taking a chance by going out after Red X had instructed the Titans to pretend they were dead... but then again, Slade would only notice the Titans if they stopped one of his mechanical monsters, or if they attacked his headquarters. He certainly wouldn't know about two Titans out on the town, would he?
The battlefield created by Cyborg was a series of platforms, some taller than others, the tallest reaching up nearly a hundred feet in the air. The floor had been programmed to cushion any fall greater than fifty feet, so any battle scenarios wouldn't be too dangerous... of course, if Red X didn't show up, it would be a moot point.
Suddenly, Cyborg could hear the entrance to the training plateau open up, and as he looked down to see who'd come in, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"I almost thought you decided not to show up!" shouted Cyborg, slightly annoyed by Red X's tardiness. Red X gave him a quick look, but didn't say anything as he walked out onto the battle plateau.
"Yeah, well it seems like two of your friends didn't," said Red X, still slightly angry and jealous at the news that Robin and Starfire were going out. Not only angry that Starfire was going out with Robin, but angry that they weren't laying low like he'd asked. "If Slade finds out-"
"Don't worry, it's not like he'll be going to the movies anytime soon," said Cyborg, adjusting a few of the controls on the training console. "So, are you ready to start training again?"
"I'd like you to bring up that Slade simulation," said Red X. "After last night, I really feel like I need to slam my fist into somebody's face."
"Actually," said Cyborg, leaping down to face Red X, "I wouldn't mind going a couple rounds with you myself... y'know, see how tough we both are."
Red X let out an annoyed groan, clearly not wanting to duel the Teen Titan standing before him. He wanted to duel the Slade simulation, or if he couldn't do that, work on teamwork training with the rest of the Titans. He already knew he could beat the snot out of Cyborg, and doing that wasn't going to be any help in defeating Slade.
"You're kidding, right?" asked Red X, staring up at Cyborg, who must've been at least a foot taller than he was. "This suit was made specifically to take you down."
"You know the circuitry-shorting trick won't work anymore, right?" asked Cyborg, a casual smirk on his face.
"Yeah, but I know this still works," said Red X, shoving his palm into Cyborg's chest. Almost instantly, a large, metallic X appeared, slamming Cyborg backward until it imbedded in one of the rocky platforms behind him, pinning Cyborg's arms and legs helplessly to the thick rock.
"Hey, man, that's cheating!" shouted Cyborg, just before his entire body was covered in a layer of thick, suffocating Xynothium goo. Red X lowered his palm and walked toward the exit of the training area, satisfied that he'd sufficiently immobilized his would-be sparring partner.
"I don't have time for this crap," said Red X, as the training area door slowly opened. "I'll come back when you're seriously ready to-"
Suddenly, Red X could feel a severe burning sensation against his back. Then, a powerful explosion, knocking him to the ground and forcing the wind from his chest. He groaned and looked up to see a large, smoldering hole in the Xynothium cocoon around Cyborg's body... then watched as the cocoon and the metallic band holding Cyborg to the platform exploded in a burst of red, sending Xynothium debris flying all over the battlefield.
"Is that the best you can do?" shouted Cyborg, running over to the stunned Red X and grabbing him by the back of the neck. "You're really gonna have to stop underestimating your opponent!"
With a powerful throw, Cyborg hurled Red X out onto the rocky outcropping, his body landing between two of the platforms. He quickly hopped to his feet and shot several exploding Xs at the rapidly charging Cyborg, who leapt up to avoid them and swung his fist downward, missing Red X and instead throwing up several chunks of rock into the air.
Red X leapt away from Cyborg and climbed up a short platform that rose just above Cyborg's head. Then, he leapt down, grabbed Cyborg by the cranium and threw him into the side of a much taller platform, creating a large hole as Cyborg's body made impact.
"You really want to fight me?" asked Red X, leaping back up onto the short platform and shooting dozens of exploding Xs down at Cyborg and the rocky formations below. Most of the Xs slammed into platforms, either blowing them up or knocking them over. The rest of the Xs hit Cyborg, who used his arms to shield his face from the blasts just before being hit. The smoke from the explosion had barely disappeared when debris from the platforms X had destroyed began raining down on Cyborg, burying him in a small mountain of rocky rubble. With a laugh, Red X leapt to the nearest available platform, his feet now about seven yards up from the ground. He looked down at the pile of rocks and could see no movement, a sure sign that Cyborg had been knocked unconscious. "I told you, you're a waste of my-"
But Cyborg wasn't unconscious, or even buried under the rocks. Instead, he'd rolled out of the way and was now running up the side of the platform that Red X was on. Red X turned around, only to see the robot's powerful fist slam straight into his face, knocking him off the side of the platform and down to the hard ground below.
He reached out his arm and was barely able to catch the side of the platform with his fingers, hanging on with all of his might as Cyborg looked down at him, a broad smile on his face.
"Now I know you didn't think you beat me already, did you?" said Cyborg, raising his foot above Red X's hand. Thinking quickly, Red X shot out a sticky X that slapped over Cyborg's eyes, blinding him and causing him to stumble back. Then, he released his grip on the side of the platform, allowing himself to fall to the ground below.
Red X hit the ground, his legs shaking only slightly as they made contact with the rocky plateau floor. He immediately extended his right wrist blade, slashing against the base of the platform and leaping back as it fell toward the ground, with the blinded Cyborg still on top.
Cyborg was able to rip the X from his eyes just as the platform began to fall, taking him with it.
"Hey, man, that ain't cool!" was the last thing Cyborg shouted before the platform hit the ground and shattered into pieces, this time burying Cyborg for sure. Knowing that Cyborg would probably get up, Red X ran to the tallest platform on the battlefield, the enormous ten-story tower of rock at the center of the plateau. Using clinging Xs on his hands, he quickly climbed the platform, all the way to the top. Then, he fired an exploding X at every other platform he could see, destroying all of them and causing the entire battlefield to become shrouded in a thick cloud of dust and rock.
"Let's see if your systems can handle a dust storm..." thought Red X, staring down into the cloud of dust and looking for any sign of life. "I know that didn't knock you out..."
When the dust cleared, X could clearly see Cyborg, standing below him next to the platform. Red X walked over to the edge of the platform and sat down, letting his feet dangle over the side.
"What are you waiting for?" asked Red X, looking down at Cyborg. "You gonna blow up the platform?"
"From that height, it'd probably be a pretty bad fall, wouldn't it?" asked Cyborg, knowing that the cushioning mechanism he'd programmed into the battlefield would prevent any serious injury, but still trying to psyche Red X out. "Maybe you oughta come down here."
"And maybe you oughta come up," said Red X, "because otherwise, I'm staying up here until you either blow up the platform or come up and fight."
Cyborg could climb a 20-foot platform, but this one was five times as tall, and Cyborg knew that trying to get up would be a fruitless effort.
"Well, aren't you gonna climb up here?" asked Red X, staring down at Cyborg. "I can stay here all day..."
With an angry yell, Cyborg began running up the side of the platform. After getting up about twenty-five feet, however, gravity took over, and Cyborg quickly fell to the ground, landing hard on his back.
"Now you're makin' me mad!" Cyborg shouted, shaking his fist at Red X. "I'm gonna give you one chance to come down before I blast you down!"
"Isn't that what you were going to do?" asked Red X, who was extremely amused by Cyborg's frustrated efforts to get him to come down. "If I can't fight who I want, at least I can get some entertainment out of this..."
But instead of blasting the platform, Cyborg ran to the control console and pressed a few buttons. Then, he dashed back to his spot by the platform and smiled.
"There's more than one way to skin a cat," said Cyborg, as another platform began forming underneath him. In just a few seconds, it shot up into the air, elevating itself to the height of Red X's platform. Cyborg leapt from his own created platform to Red X's, and soon after, Cyborg's platform disappeared, leaving the two warriors alone on the singular tower of rock, a hundred feet above the ground.
"About time you got here," said Red X, standing in a fighting stance in the center of the platform. "You ready to go?"
"You better believe it," replied Cyborg, charging toward Red X and striking at him with a series of punches, aimed at the thief's head and chest. For all that Cyborg possessed in strength, he severely lacked Robin's speed, and Red X was easily able to dodge all of Cyborg's powerful blows. Finally, a frustrated Cyborg swept his leg under both of Red X's, a move that X didn't expect. The thief was knocked off his feet, his head hitting the floor of the platform with a loud smack.
"Damn, that hurts!" thought Red X, rolling out of the way as Cyborg's fist plunged downward toward his fallen foe. Red X quickly stood up, pointing his arm at Cyborg's chest.
"I don't think so!" said Cyborg, grabbing Red X's arm and wrenching it behind his back, holding him in a powerful submission grip.
"Damn!" shouted Red X, struggling to break out of the grip of Cyborg's powerful mechanical limb. Knowing that he had no chance to escape, he tried pushing his body forward, attempting to use his momentum to throw Cyborg off of the platform. As he did, Cyborg pulled back harder, twisting X's arm behind him and retaining his leverage.
"You can't toss me... you can try to toss me, but you can't toss me!" shouted Cyborg, as a frustrated and rapidly tiring Red X struggled to pull free.
"I'm not gonna lose to him," thought Red X, who already knew he was no match for the Titans' leader, Robin. "If I can't beat him, at least I can say I can beat all the others!"
Placing his other hand on Cyborg's chest, Red X began preparing to fire another of his exploding projectile Xs. Cyborg, seeing what X was about to do, suddenly released the thief's arm, the sudden momentum forcing Red X forward and nearly causing him to stumble off the other side of the platform.
Cyborg quickly took his opportunity, pointing his arm cannon at the stumbling Red X and charging up a shot. But Red X was quicker, turning around and firing an explosive X straight into Cyborg's chest. The force of the explosion sent Cyborg flying back, right off the edge of the platform and dropping toward the ground. Though he knew the fall wouldn't be too dangerous, Cyborg still let out a scream, and Red X quickly leapt off the platform after him.
Forming a shuriken X in one of his hands, Red X grabbed Cyborg by the arm and shoved the shuriken X into the side of the platform, embedding it in the rock and stopping Red X's fall just thirty feet above the ground. Holding onto Cyborg's arm with one hand and the shuriken with the other, Red X hung off the side of the platform, slowly swinging back and forth.
"You know that if I fell, the program would've turned the ground into rubber, right?" asked Cyborg, looking up at Red X. "But thanks anyway!"
"...after I went to all this to save your butt, it turns out your butt didn't need saving in the first place?" thought Red X, dropping Cyborg onto the ground before leaping down himself. "At least I got in some of that useless 'teamwork' training in."
Cyborg stood up, brushing himself off and looking at Red X.
"That was a pretty good match," said Cyborg, extending his hand to Red X to shake. Red X took one look at Cyborg's hand, then leapt into the air and swung his leg into the side of Cyborg's head. The blow, unexpected and powerful, sent Cyborg into a daze, knocking him to the ground, groaning in pain. "Unnh... what the heck was that for?"
"I win," said Red X, turning and leaving the training area. "Complete waste of time..."
O-O-O
As the battle between Cyborg and Red X ended, Robin and Starfire's date had reached its midpoint. As the two walked out of a nearby movie theater, they were smiling, laughing, and holding hands, both of them having the most fun that they'd had in a long, long while.
"Robin, that movie was very exciting!" she said, her fingers tightly interlaced with Robin's. "But... at the end, it seems that the villain escaped..."
"That's because they're going to make a sequel to that movie, most likely," Robin replied, smiling just as wide as Starfire was. "They can make more money that way..."
"It seems like a cruel trick to me," said Starfire, walking with Robin down the sidewalk. "I mean... they could have easily resolved the plot by having the villain captured, but-"
"Like I said, it's all about making money," said Robin.
"Well... it was still a very enjoyable movie," replied Starfire, a bright smile on her face. "And it was a lot more enjoyable because I saw it with someone I... with someone I..."
"Starfire?" said Robin, stopping and turning to her.
"With someone that I am very good friends with!" said Starfire, a hint of a blush on her smooth, orange face. "Get it together, Starfire... you can do this... you can tell Robin how you feel... just... just not yet..."
"It was nice seeing it with you too, Starfire," said Robin, also forming a bit of a blush on his face. He too didn't know just quite what to say to Starfire, and was mostly trying to react to what she said, hoping that he'd figure out something good to say to her later. "So... wanna go out and get something to eat now?"
"You mean... just you and me?" asked Starfire. Robin nodded.
"Sure, I know a couple of nice places... well, I mean, if you want to-"
"It would be wonderful, Robin!" said Starfire, wrapping her arms around him. As soon as she hugged him, she pulled back, knowing that she may have jumped the gun a little bit with the sudden hug. "Um... shall we go?"
Robin nodded, his hand releasing slightly from Starfire's but still touching her fingers as the two walked together down the sidewalk, enjoying the chance that they had to spend time together without anyone bothering them. No villains, no Red X, no Slade... just the two young teenage superheroes, their feelings for one another still left mostly unspoken.
O-O-O
Red X again found himself walking the halls of the tower. Slightly exhausted from his fight with Cyborg, and knowing that he didn't want to have anything to do with Beast Boy at the moment, he considered leaving... then began to wonder what Raven, who he hadn't seen since entering the tower, might be up to.
Thinking she was probably in her room, X found the nearest elevator and pressed a button to go to the tenth floor.
"The last time I went in her room, it was to take her magic mirror," thought Red X, tapping his foot on the floor at the elevator took him up to the tenth level of the tower. "Hope she's not still too mad about that."
With a bit of a smirk, Red X stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hall to Raven's room, giving the door a light knock.
"Go away," came Raven's voice to the door, a familiar reply to anyone who wished to gain entry. Red X knocked again, and Raven's voice became slightly louder. "If this is Beast Boy, I'm giving you to the count of three before-"
"Close," said Red X, "but thankfully, not him."
The door slid open, and Raven, her hood pulled down from her face, gave Red X an annoyed stare.
"If you want to know where Robin and Starfire are-"
"They're out on a date," said Red X. "I already know."
"...then what do you want?" asked Raven.
"I dunno. Just some conversation, I guess," said Red X, boredom clearly evident in his voice. With a heavy sigh, Raven stepped away from the door.
"I normally don't let people into my room, but since you've been here before, I don't really have anything to hide," said Raven, walking over to her dresser and looking down at the spot where her magic mirror used to be. "Oh, and by the way, don't touch my stuff."
"I won't," said Red X, walking over to the side of Raven's bed and sitting down.
"That includes your butt touching my bed," said Raven, shooting X another angry glare.
"You're as bad as my sister," said Red X, not bothering to get up from Raven's bed. Like Raven, Maddy didn't enjoy people being in her room either, and was especially territorial about her bed, where she was afraid if people touched it in even the slightest, the covers would get messed up and she'd have to make it again.
"If your sister's so bad, why'd you steal that suit?" replied Raven, sitting down next to Red X.
"Touché," he replied. "But there are some good qualities about her... just like there are some good qualities about you. I mean, your purple self would be a whole hell of a lot easier to get into bed with than Starfire."
Raven rolled her eyes, embarrassed that Red X had seen her lust emotion while inside of her head.
"What do you see in Starfire, anyway?" asked Raven, completely aware of the crush X had on Starfire.
"The same thing Robin sees," replied Red X. Raven shook her head.
"No... I don't think it is the same thing," said Raven. "Robin's seen Starfire at her best, at her worst... he's seen her happiness, her anger, her fear, her weakness and her strength. He's devoted himself to protecting her, even while he leads the rest of the team. He's saved her life countless times, and she's saved him just as much. They're almost inseparable..."
"And if Robin wasn't so worried about people hurting her to get to him, I think the two of them would be going out almost every day," said Red X.
"Exactly," Raven replied. "Just like I have to restrain my emotions to protect everyone from the full force of my powers, Robin has to keep his feelings about Starfire bottled up to protect her."
Red X knew exactly how cruel people could be, using one's friends and family to control them... even now, it was being done to him, and he loathed it.
"I never should've let Slade find out who I was," said Red X, turning away from Raven. "He knows, and he's using my family to-"
"It wasn't your fault," said Raven. "Slade is a manipulative sociopath. He knew what he wanted, and-"
"He followed me until he got it," replied Red X, bowing his head. "And now, he's got to pay... he's got to pay for everything he-"
"Why us?" asked Raven. "After we've fought against each other for so long, why did you come to us to help you with Slade? Even we haven't been able to beat him entirely."
"But together... together we might have a chance," replied Red X. "Besides, you've all done a lot of incredible things before. You even stopped the end of the world."
Raven gasped.
"How does he know that?" thought Raven, a shocked expression on her face. Trigon's blast had supposedly destroyed everything and frozen all of the Earth's inhabitants in time, so how had Red X been left untouched? "How do you remember...?"
"How could I forget?" asked Red X, as memories of the horrible day when Trigon arose came flooding back to him. "It was the day I took back my belt... all of you had gone off somewhere, doing who knows what, so I snuck in and got the belt. As I came out of the tower, I could see the sky growing dark, and the sun disappearing... it was an eclipse, I think. I swam back to the city as fast as I could, because I wanted to get mom's video camera to take some film, you know? Anyway, I got about halfway home when... when this enormous wall of flame... have you ever seen the movie Independ-"
"No," replied Raven, shuddering at the mention of any science-fiction film.
"Well, anyway, it was like that. A wall of flame came rushing toward me... so I created this protective barrier of Xynothium around my body to block the flames. When the flame subsided, I broke through the barrier... and saw the entire city destroyed."
Red X bowed his head, shaking it slightly as he recalled what happened next. His voice began to break as he spoke.
"I... I ran back home... to see if mom and Maddy were okay... but when I got there... when I got there, they... they..."
A gentle hand rested on Red X's back. He looked up to see Raven, a caring look reflected in her eyes.
"I... I'm sorry," said Raven, now remembering her role in the supposed 'end of the world'. "It was me who-"
"If I'd have gotten there... if I'd have gotten there in there, I could have used my shield on-"
"Don't say that," said Raven, looking into Red X's eyes, both of her hands now on his shoulders. "What happened to Maddy and your mother was not your fault."
Red X sighed and turned slightly away, standing up at the side of the bed.
"If Slade does anything to them... it will be my fault," said Red X, turning to Raven again. "If we can't stop him, I'll have no choice... I'll have to become his apprentice."
"We will stop him," Raven replied, grasping Red X's hand in her own. "I promise... we will stop him."
Meanwhile, Beast Boy, who'd been listening to the entire conversation from outside, poked his head into the room through the door, having formed an idea in his head. As Raven looked at him, Red X turned around as well, staring in bewilderment at the green morphling standing in the doorway.
"Um... X?" said Beast Boy with a bit of trepidation. "I have... something I want to show you."
O-O-O
Robin had taken Starfire to a restaurant on the south side of town, a moderately-sized building with glass windows on all sides. It had a very nice atmosphere, with fragrant candles and a white cloth covering on each table. The food wasn't bad either, and Starfire and Robin both had their fill, all the while talking about whatever was on their minds, drifting away from the chaos of the past few days and having a light, fun conversation, just as two friends... or even two people in love would do.
"Robin, tonight has been... probably the best night that I have had since I arrived on Earth," said Starfire, her hands reaching across the table and resting just in front of Robin. "I mean, I enjoy fighting against criminals with all of you, but... a night like this, where I can have fun with my best friend... someone I care about very much..."
"It's been great for me too, Star," said Robin, placing his hands on the table and right next to Starfire's. "I can't believe we never did this before..."
Of course, usually the Titans had to deal with criminals and monsters in the evening, and rarely got the chance to spend quality time with each other, especially like Robin and Starfire were doing now.
"Robin, when I arrived here... I did not expect to find someone like you so quickly... I thought that perhaps I would be picked on, or even attacked by people on Earth... instead, I met all of you... you accepted me for who I was, you did not judge me just because I was from another planet... and you, Robin... you have been the kindest of all."
Robin didn't have a response right away, even as Starfire's hands gently went over his, the tips of her fingers brushing the top of his hand.
"I know that you do not express your feelings as readily as I do... and sometimes I am a bit more ready in expressing them than I should be. The time when I was angry with you because you said that you were not my girlfriend-"
"Star... I thought that was behind us," said Robin, a smile on his face. "I... I told you that you are... didn't I? And I know exactly what that means."
"Robin, if you are afraid to say something because you worry about people harming me... believe me, I have considered-"
"It's not that, Star," said Robin, his hands pulling slightly away from Starfire's. "I mean... I guess... Star, I know how strong you are, but-"
"But you are afraid that people will still find a way to hurt me," replied Starfire, her hands moving forward again. "If... if I could promise you... if I could promise that no matter what happened to me..."
But it did matter... Robin knew exactly how Slade might exploit any potential weakness that he showed... and any abnormal emotion for anyone, as wonderful as it might be, was a weakness... and Robin couldn't let Starfire get hurt because of his weakness.
He'd protected Starfire before... he'd saved her before... but he couldn't trust himself to always be there for her. If he slipped up, if something happened and Starfire was hurt...
"Starfire, I can't-"
"The Red X would certainly-" Starfire began, before placing her hand over her mouth and shaking her head. "No... I cannot use him to make Robin... if Robin truly does have feelings for me, he must admit them on his own... he must... he would not protect me like you do, Robin-"
"Starfire, you're strong, you're powerful, you're brave... you don't need to be protected by me," said Robin. "You're stronger and braver than... than even me, Star-"
"Robin... it is not... not just that you protect me... it is that you are..."
She couldn't bring herself to describe how wonderful Robin was to her. Someone like Red X was certainly kind to her, but... she didn't feel safe with him like she did with Robin. He didn't make her happier just by being in the room, he wasn't nearly as brave as Robin was... he was kind to her, but... he wasn't Robin.
Starfire leaned closer to Robin at the table, and he too leaned forward, only slightly at first, but as Starfire pulled closer, so did he, until their faces were just inches apart.
"You are the most wonderful person in the world, Robin... that is all I wanted to say."
"Starfire, I..."
Their eyes now closed, their lips drawing closer by the second... Robin and Starfire both leaned in across the table, a second away from what would be their first kiss...
A shatter and loud screams caused both of them to stop with their lips just an inch apart.
"That is so romantic."
The voice drew Robin and Starfire's heads up to the now-shattered front window of the restaurant. Standing in front of the window and staring straight at the two Titans was Slade, his gaze locked on Robin's face.
Robin leapt from the table, extending his bo staff. At the same time, Starfire floated into the air, her eyes and hands glowing bright green.
"You won't get away this time, Slade..." said Robin, his fingers wrapped tightly around the long, metallic staff.
O-O-O
Red X followed Beast Boy to the edge of a long, grassy field, bordering a wide stone path. Following them were Raven and Cyborg, who tagged along when they realized what Beast Boy was going to show X.
"I hope we're getting close," said Red X, watching as the sun slowly began setting in the sky.
"We are," replied Beast Boy, as memories from a friend long gone began sifting through his head. "Don't worry... we're getting really close now."
A small object came into view, shining as a black silhouette against the red sky. As Red X tried to make out the object, Beast Boy began walking slowly, as if entering some sort of hallowed ground.
"Could you go a little faster?" asked Red X.
"You wanna see her, or not?" shouted Beast Boy, Red X having clearly struck a nerve.
"Her?" thought Red X, taking a closer look at the silhouette in the sunlight. "Could that be..."
The four continued until they reached the end of the field and had to walk the rest of the way along the cold, hard path. The wind began blowing over the ground, and Raven could feel her hair blowing slightly back. She lifted her hood to shield her face from the wind.
Red X could now make out the form in the silhouette. It was a statue of a girl, forever frozen in time... her face beautiful despite the stone it was comprised of. As Red X approached the statue, he could see a golden plaque on its surface, and bent down to read it.
"So this is her..." thought Red X, concentrating on the plaque's inscription. "Terra... a Teen Titan, a true friend..."
"She was Slade's apprentice too," said Beast Boy, "and look how she ended up."
Red X reached up and stroked his hand across Terra's frozen face, as gently as if he were touching the face of his own sister.
"Why did a good girl like you get mixed up with a monster like him...?" whispered Red X, barely loud enough for the others to hear.
"She was convinced that she couldn't control her powers," said Raven.
"So she got Slade to help her... and in exchange, she became his willing apprentice," replied Cyborg.
"Except that when she tried to escape from him... tried to get away... she couldn't," said Beast Boy, a tear starting to form in his eye. "Because... because she-"
"She was weak," said Red X, turning to face the other Titans. "Weak and afraid... afraid that she-"
"You take that back!" shouted Beast Boy, clenching his fists and getting right up in Red X's face. Red X didn't budge. "She tried! She tried with all her might to do good... and she ended up sacrificing her life for everyone in the city! For us, for you, for your stupid mom and sister... EVERYONE!"
"I insulted your girl, you insulted my family," thought Red X, taking a step away from Beast Boy. He turned back toward Terra, reaching up to touch her face again. "Terra... I promise... I promise that I won't end up like you. Where you failed, I will succeed... I'll escape Slade, and I'll do it with my life intact. I won't just escape him... I'll kick his ass. And without giving up my life to do it."
Red X turned back toward the three Titans, looking at Raven, then at Cyborg, then at Beast Boy, who'd calmed only slightly after X had made his promise.
"I won't be like her," said Red X, "so if you're trying to scare me straight-"
Suddenly, two dozen Sladebots seemed to drop out of the sky behind the Teen Titans, crouched and ready for battle.
"Don't you guys know this is sacred ground?" said Red X, the two Xs on his palms lighting up. Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg quickly turned around, stepping back and striking battle poses as the Sladebots rushed toward them.
O-O-O
Robin swung the bo staff at Slade, who leapt up and struck Robin with a kick in the chest that knocked him onto the table where he and Starfire had just been sitting. With a loud battle cry, Starfire flew forward, tossing several Starbolts at Slade. The Starbolts all connected, but Slade was seemingly undamaged, charging forward into Starfire and throwing his shoulder into her stomach.
"Aaaagh!" groaned Starfire, doubling over as Slade's powerful frame slammed into her. She quickly recovered, her fist slamming into Slade's face and knocking him away. "You will not get away with-"
"I just wanted to check up on you," replied Slade, watching as Robin jumped up from the table and threw several punches and kicks at his face. Slade dodged them all, his body darting and weaving away from the rapid blows. "You're not dead at all..."
With one mighty punch, Slade sent Robin flying back again, his body slamming into Starfire's and sending both of them crashing through a glass table.
"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got an apprentice who's been quite unruly as of late, and I need to think of a punishment," said Slade, disappearing out the window. As he did, Robin and Starfire slowly crawled up from the floor, brushing shattered pieces of glass from their bodies. Robin leapt to his feet and looked out the window, but Slade was already nowhere to be found.
"SLADE!" shouted Robin, staring to leap out the window before being stopped by Starfire's arms wrapping around his waist. "SLADE! Come back and fight! COWARD! He knows... he knows we're all alive... I have to warn Sanza..."
O-O-O
Another long (and eventful chapter). Looks like Slade knows Sanza didn't obey his directions... will revenge be swift and painful, or will Sanza get another chance? And can Sanza, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg protect Terra's statue from a legion of dangerous Sladebots? If you thought this chapter was great, you'll love the next one! Also, noticing the intense reviews this story has been getting over the past few days... a big thanks goes to all my reviewers, who I hope can stick around for just a few chapters more. Closer to the end than the beginning now...