PortofSeas, a.k.a. Shigure-Sensei or Talon.
Disclaimer: Titans still, as of yet, do not belong to me…. Still don't now either.
Just to clear up any misconceptions, Nightmare is an unofficial sequel to Haunted.
And thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! It really brightened my Independence Day to see that so many people are enjoying this story I kinda wasn't supposed to be writing during Geography. I think this chapter is a little longer than the others, but I figured the events went well together. Well, enjoy!
Chapter 3: The Trials of Food
"You'll never escape me, Robin. Every breath, every step, every thought is driven by me, my presence."
"No!" Robin cried. "You're not really here! You're just a hallucination, and I can prove it!"
He made a mad dash for the light switch on the other side of the factory. Slade, however, could not be evaded so easily. Robin felt a heavy foot kick his legs out from underneath him. He let out a little cry as he fell to the ground. Barely, he managed to roll to one side, dodging the massive fist aimed at his head. The concrete floor cracked as it was hit, sending dust clouds into the air. But his meager dodge wasn't enough as Slade's boot collided with his rib. He gasped and curled up in pain.
"Come now, Robin. What good is a defensive maneuver if it leaves you wide open for another attack? My dear boy, I thought I taught you better than that."
"You didn't teach me anything!" Robin spat, scrambling back to his feet, rushing away, clutching his side. Damn, it hurt… One kick shouldn't have hurt him this much.
"Have you forgotten? I've gotten stronger, Robin. You couldn't even defeat me before."
This time, the fist hit Robin square across the jaw, sending him tumbling into the floor. The cold, metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. He coughed, and saw that blood splatter on the ground.
"Now you couldn't even defeat me in your dreams!"
This couldn't be happening. How could he let himself be defeated so easily?
Slade kicked him again in the ribs, sending him sprawling on the floor, gasping for air and struggling to stand up, get to the light switch. Another kick in the stomach nearly finished him, but to his great relief, Slade drew back.
"Is this your best, Robin? Have you really gotten this weak?"
"You're not here, you're lying!"
"You're pathetic. I don't recall why I ever wasted my time you."
"I don't believe you. You're just a hallucination!"
"You can't lead yourself. How do you honestly expect to lead your friends? The only path you can show them is the path to destruction!"
"Shut up!" Robin shouted, struggling to his feet and swinging clumsily. He felt so slow and sluggish.
Slade chuckled and dodged, kicking out again. Robin barely managed to parry the blow, fueled only by adrenaline and hatred. He wanted to stop Slade. No, he wanted to hurt him, as much as he could. For a short time, they fought as evenly as they had before, despite Robin's injuries. But a sudden strike to his lower jaw reminded him. He couldn't defeat Slade like this. He had to reach the switch.
Decisively, he backed into a tall stack of crates, sending them toppling down on the villain. That would buy him some time. As quickly as he could, now that the pain of his wounds had returned, he ran toward the switch. It was within his grasp now…
"You can't escape me so easily."
His fingers closed around it, and with a wave of relief,he flipped it upward. Dozens of bright lights around the factory flickered on and he sighed. Finally…
"Foolish boy."
What? Robin's head shot up to see Slade, his mask shining in the light, drawing back his fist like so many times before.
"You will never be rid of me."
Beads of sweat gathered on his brow, sliding down his face. Robin shuddered, twisting and turning under his covers, mumbling indiscernible things under his breath.
Starfire gently dabbed his brow with a wet rag, hoping to cool his burning body. He flinched away from her touch.
"Oh Robin," she cooed sadly, still leaning over him. His breathing had grown labored, and all the color that drained from his face seemed to seep into his flushed cheeks.
"N-no...," he growled. "This can't… not real."
"Robin, it is me, Starfire!"
"No, go away. Slade!" His voice grew louder, and soon he was flailing his arms about, trying to hit an invisible foe.
Starfire was at a loss. She had never seen someone so perturbed in their sleep. Sleep was supposed to be restful…
"Robin," she said in a soft worry. "Please, you are in no danger here." She snaked her hand in behind his feebly swinging arms, placing it on his warm head.
This seemed to calm him some. He let his arms fall back onto the bed, as his heavy breathing relaxed some. Starfire smiled.
"It is better now," she said, running her fingers across his sweaty brow. The tension seemed to lift from his face.
"Star?" he mumbled.
"You are awake!" she exclaimed. "Wondrous."
Robin sat up, holding his head with one hand.
"What happened?" he wondered out loud.
"You fainted once we left the store, and we brought you back home. I was most worried!"
Robin's face grew sullen, and dark flames seemed to dance around his head.
"I did not faint, I…I passed out," he insisted.
"Does that not mean the same thing as fainting?"
"It doesn't…that is…it does, I mean…," he felt heat creeping up to his ears. Starfire laughed and placed her hands over one of his.
"However it is you say it, you are here now, and I am glad you are awake."
Robin covered her hands with his free hand.
"Star…," he faltered. Her pretty green eyes gazed expectantly at him.
"Yes, Robin?"
"Uh…um, thanks, for worrying and all."
"You are most welcome," Starfire replied, smiling pleasantly. But, soon it faded a little. "Robin, why did you not tell us you were not feeling well?"
Robin let his hands drop and shrugged.
"I didn't think much of it, I guess. I've just been having trouble sleeping."
"You are having nightmares," Starfire confirmed, "just now. And Cyborg said he saw you last night, too. They are about Slade, yes?"
"How could you guess?" Robin asked gruffly.
"You said his name in your sleep. It was a nightmare about him, was it not?"
"Yeah," Robin sighed. "I can't get him out of my head."
"He was defeated before," Starfire reminded him. "You can defeat him again."
"I hope so."
The room was quiet for a few moments. Starfire could tell Robin was brooding. No good ever came from him brooding.
"I shall go prepare you a meal, to keep up your strength and return you to health!" she announced, dashing out before Robin could protest. Some color returned to his face, a sickly sort of green.
Shortly after the Tamaranian had departed, the rest of the Titans came in. Robin half-wished he could have been left alone. A dull headache was beginning to throb just behind his temples.
"Hey man, you feeling better?" Cyborg asked. Robin fixed him with a hard stare.
"What do you think?" he reprimanded.
"Dumb question," Cyborg corrected himself. "At least you seem to be in a reasonable state of mind now."
"Lemme check!" Best Boy offered. The next thing they knew, he was poking Robin, examining the inside of his ear, and pelting a series of horror movie questions.
"Were you ever in a position where you could be replaced by a zombie robot?"
"Have you ever been to the 27th dimension?"
"How many fingers do I have?"
"Is this really necessary?" Robin asked glumly, "Because it's stupid."
Beast Boy froze mid-poke.
"That's Robin!" he declared, "a little grumpy, but definitely Robin."
Robin looked as though he was ready to bite Beast Boy's head off.
"Where was Starfire off to?" Raven asked.
"To get some food," Robin replied glumly.
"Oh," Cyborg said. "In that case, I think I'll go make you some chicken noodle." He turned to walk out the door. Beast Boy followed him out.
"Dude, two words! To-fu!"
Raven shook her head and turned back to Robin.
"Get some rest," she instructed before following the others out the room.
Robin groaned and threw himself back against the pillow. Rest was the last thing he wanted now.
Some time later, Robin awoke from a light sleep, unaware that he had drifted off at all. His only clue as to what he might have dreamed was a slight case of shakiness. The headache, which had been dull before, had grown to a hammer banging around in his head. The light was still on, and the glare wasn't doing much for him either.
"Greetings Robin!" Starfire said cheerfully. "I come bearing Gorblesh!"
"Gor…blesh?"
"Yes! I believe you will like it very much!"
She placed the tray on his knees and smiled. Robin stared down blankly. It looked like…he didn't know what it looked like, but he could have sworn it moved. He poked it with his fork. It shuddered and some of the purple chunks floating inside the gelatinous membrane shifted around. Did he detect the most infinitesimal amount of individual movement?
Before he forced himself to stomach the gorblesh, the door opened, and Beast Boy and Cyborg stepped in, Cyborg bearing a tray of much more appetizing food.
"Uh, Robin? What is that?" Cyborg asked.
"It is Gorblesh!" Starfire answered. "Would you like some?"
"N-no, I'm good."
"Vegetarian. Can't…I think."
"Very well then," Starfire said, almost downcast.
"Uh, dude?" Beast Boy said. "As against meat as I am, I think you'd be better off with chicken noodle soup."
Starfire shrugged and took the tray back.
"No worries," she told them. "I shall simply partake in the pleasures of Gorblesh myself," and she floated out the room.
"Only Starfire," Robin said.
"Here," Cyborg said, giving Robin the soup. "I promise, I didn't let Beast Boy put any of that fake meat in it."
"Tofu!"
Robin laughed and dipped a cracker into the broth, munching it thoughtfully. He suddenly realized how hungry he really was and began eating the soup ravenously.
"Yeah," Cyborg said, grinning. "I can cook more than a mean breakfast bonanza!"
"Duh, that's cause I do all the good cooking," Beast Boy contradicted.
"Like anyone actually eats those tofu waffles."
"A video console says they do!"
"You're on!"
They rushed out the door, eager to defeat each other in a battle of spaceships and ninjas. Then, they paused.
"You gonna be all right, dude?" Beast Boy asked.
"Yeah," Robin said. "Go on. I'll just get some rest."
"Okay. Sleep tight. Glad to see you actually doing it now," Cyborg said.
"Me too."
Starfire awoke late that night and yawned. Her mouth was parched. Time for some water.
Stretching, she climbed out of bed, (easily, as she slept often without covers with her feet toward the pillows), and drifted out of her room and down the hall. When she had first arrived, she might have lost her way or bumped into things in the dark. Now, however, it was simple and easily etched into her memory. The tower had become as much as her home as perhaps Tamaran.
A strange sound, however, met her ears as she passed Robin's door. Muffled cries echoed faintly, like the mumbles she had heard from Robin earlier, only louder, and a chorus of thumps and bangs, like he was banging against things in his sleep. She stopped, drifted to the floor, and pressed her ear against the cold metal of his doorway.
"Stop! You can't…No!" he yelled. It was a miracle he could sleep through his own noise. "Slade!"
"Robin…," she murmured.
"Please!" his yells turned to begs, and she thought she heard his voice choke when he spoke. "Please…stop. I can't…just leave me alone."
Her heart pained to hear this, but what could she do? Soon he sounded like he really was crying. Every impulse screamed for her to rush in and comfort him, let him know that everything would be okay…but she was afraid of making it worse.
She stood outside his door for a full ten minutes, until he quieted down, then crept slowly back to her room, her sole thought to comfort him in the morning, when it was safe, water forgotten.
R&R, please.