Hi…I don't really know what to do, except to sincerely thank all of you…the reviews I got were so nice and kind, and they actually made me cry…my grandma's funeral was just on Monday, and I…well, you know…thanks…Well, many of you suggested that writing could help me out during this time—all of you were correct. It's difficult, but it's really making the loss easier to cope with…so, I updated again. Here you go.
Chapter Twenty Four: Master and Apprentice
"I've become so numb, I can't feel you there,
I've become so tired, so much more aware.
I'm becoming this, all I want to do,
Is be more like me, and be less like you…"
Raven-
Cold.
Her body was freezing, the skin icy and dead to the touch…like plastic. God, was it frigid…and yet she was warm at the same time, curled on the floor in her own hot blood. Her left arm broken in half as well as one or two of her ribs, but the pain had dulled and numbed with the novacaine that death automatically brought.
Everything's going to be all right, now, a voice whispered in her mind…
If it said so…
The darkness was falling across Raven's eyes, but she could still see, somewhere above her, a hunched figure on a makeshift bridge, blood seeping from their head (some sort of object was protruding from their injury. Were they going to be okay?) to drip onto the ground below in sickly, spattering droplets—
---Someone's coming, someone's coming, her subconscious screamed, trying to awaken her…
A mountain stretched before her, its magnitude staggering and it blew her mind away, just looking at it. Thunder crashed and lightening responded to its call, both forces making the ground tremble beneath her feet…Raven (or whoever she was inhabiting in her premonition) began to walk forward, towards its bottom…and, digging her hands into the slick rock side, she began to climb…
---They're going to kill you! Wake up, wake UP! You're going to die!
'Then let it all be over…'
Within the confines of her mind, Wisdom and Courage stood side by side, the pair of them watched their Raven's black powers streak the red sky of their universe, giving it a grim appearance.
"So, is this the end?" Her bravery asked softly.
The knowledgeable side of the Goth outstretched her palm, letting her dark powers form in her hand, pulsating in a tiny ball. But she did not answer, keeping her bespectacled gaze upon the sphere of energy that she almost cradled, as it gained light and size.
"Well? Will we all die now?" The green robed girl persisted, looking at the other emotion intently. "Is this the end?"
" 'Everything that has a beginning has an end,' " Wisdom quoted serenely. "But then again…every end has a new beginning hiding within it. You just have to know where to look…" Then, inhaling deeply, she whispered, "Strength…" before exhaling, blowing on the ebony orb she had been mentally building so that it dispersed like dandelion seeds in an invisible wind, the pieces swirling off into the distance.
"…For Robin…"
Bruce-
Stupid police. They were brainless, bigoted morons who couldn't see past the end of their nose—the lot of them. Sure, in Gotham they were only too happy for him to just glide in and save the day, over and over again. But now that Jump City was nothing more than a watery graveyard, the officers were suspicious of anybody or anything passing through, and either tried to question them…or just shoot at the stranger a lot.
For Bruce in this case, it was the second one.
Bullets whizzed at his torso non—stop, crashing into the sides of remaining buildings, and shattering panes of glass, while Batman barely evaded them—idiots. They hadn't been willing to trust him at the beginning (they thought he was a villain, even though he was bringing down criminals all the time! Just how thick could you get?) and what with the city being a complete mess, they were probably dumping the blame on him once more.
How's that for gratitude? Bruce thought bitterly, as he took shelter behind a pile of rubble on a rooftop.
In truth, he didn't actually hate them all the time—most of them were difficult to put up with (of course, there were always the exceptional few), but he had learned to have patience for them as the years progressed. It was just the fact that they were keeping him from finding Richard that was pissing him off.
Hold on, Dick. I'm coming…
Robin-
Far beneath the destruction of Jump City, below the corpses, the fallen architecture and the continuous thunderstorm, Robin felt his knees give, and he collapsed, breath coming in short pants. He was weary from the ceaseless attacks, his skin burned from the frequent slaps of Slade's staff on his body, and his muscles were screaming for him to stop.
But he would never, ever—
"Give up, already," Slade said in a bored manner, as he strolled over to his apprentice and stared at him apathetically; his fingers twirled his bo—staff slowly in a threatening manner, and the boy watched it with a hint of nervousness as it rose and fell in a steady circle, though he pushed himself up onto his elbows and glared at his tormentor.
"Not until the day I die."
The tip of the staff buried itself into his mouth, and blood flowed over Robin's chin as he choked on the coppery flavor. Slade bent down and grabbed the teen by the front of his uniform, pulling him to his feet before he leaned into his face and said, quite calmly:
"That time could come sooner than you think…"
Robin was silent, and his masked eyes searching, as they roved across the orange and black front, almost as if he could see the expression behind it. Slade's voice lowered to a whisper as he spoke again, drawing them closer together:
"After all: 'It's just the two of us down here, Robin…nobody would know…nobody would care…'"
In response, the hero hawked back in his throat and spat a mouthful of blood at his master, the crimson splattering on the man's mask and slipping down it in thin rivulets.
Before he could push himself out of harm's way in time, thick fingers dug into his chest and past the boy's flesh, wrapping themselves around the rib right above his broken one. There was a snap, followed by a cry of utmost agony on Robin's part…and then quiet, as he dangled weakly, held up only by Slade's grasp.
Give up, please, part of him begged, as he slipped down to the floor to lie at the other male's feet. Please, just do what he says—
NO!
As that one word was spoken, the Boy Wonder felt a strange sensation cover him—like a rush of hot water dragging him beneath the waves in an ocean of fire…but the heat was only too welcome after the chill of unfeeling gloom in the lair…it wrapped itself like a snake around his heart, his lungs, his arms and legs...and then a surge of immeasurable potency…
Then Raven's alive? Does that mean the others are okay?
But the doubt was wiped clean, as Robin, grinding his teeth and clutching his cracked ribs, moved himself onto his knees…then stood, swaying faintly.
"Guess you were wrong, Slade," He jeered softly. "Somebody out there still cares…"
The mastermind surveyed his student contemptuously, hand still idly swinging his bo—staff, before saying unworriedly:
"She won't be around much longer, though…she'll die...all of them will, and it'll be up to your father to find you…"
Robin corrected his stance and put his fists up defensively.
"He'll be here," the Teen Titan said sharply, arm shooting up in a high block to deflect the swing that Slade took at him.
…Won't he?
Alfred-
His fingers flew across the numbered buttons, dialing as quickly as he could, while behind the pay phone, people ran screaming to or from the fray. Normally, he wouldn't be calling at such a stressful time, but they had already rescued three of the Titans, so everything was safe…
The other line rang three times, before it was picked up.
"Who is this!" Bruce shouted rudely, and Alfred thought he heard a gun rapidly firing in the background.
"Master Bruce?"
"Alfred?"
"Sir, what is going on over there?"
"Uh…hang on a sec—"
There was a pause, and then a loud crash followed by a lot of shouting and footsteps.
"Alf?"
"Sir…?"
"Oh, uh...well, you know. The usual, with the police, and their guns…"
"Ah."
"How are things over there?"
Alfred tried to act nonchalant, even as a few doctors ran past with some large tool that they began bludgeoning a robot over the head with.
"Err… everything's perfectly fine," He said, somewhat loudly, to drown out the noises. "All has just been rather boring…and, um—"
There was an explosion in the background, and the butler winced as it resounded off the walls…well, any of the walls that were still standing in that particular part of the hospital.
"What the hell was that?"
"What was what?"
"Look, please don't play stupid. What's going on?"
Alfred told him.
"Oh, shi—"
There were more gun shots, and the rest of Bruce's words were cut off. Alfred waited patiently, and a minute or so later, his employer returned, gasping.
"Are you all right, sir?"
"It…it doesn't matter…all we should be worrying about it…Richard and his friends. You got all the Titans to safety?"
"Yes. Cyborg, and Starfire, and Beast Boy. All of them."
There was a confused pause, and the British man rather thought that Master Bruce was trying to match names with faces.
"Okay…hey…what about the demon kid?"
"Demon?"
"Yeah…the bird girl or something like that?"
"Oh, my God!" Alfred whispered, disgusted with his memory. He had forgotten about Raven. "I've got to go!" He slammed the phone down without a further word and hurtled towards the Goth's room, snatching up a saw from surgery.
"Please let her be all right," he uttered, and kicked the door down. Drones were grouped around her body, concentrating on their task, though their heads swiveled to look at the newest intruder. Alfred noticed with horror that the bed sheets were nearly soaked with red, and there were huge slashes in her skin…oddly enough, a stream of darkness had been trickling from her forehead, something that he found intriguing even as it vanished into thin air.
Not bothering to call for backup, the old man flicked the saw on and advanced on her attackers.
Robin-
If he ever saw Raven again, he'd have to kiss her for giving him the ability to continue battling Slade. That much he had decided on, as he flipped out of Slade's range; the weapon clanged on a ladder leading up to one of the catwalks, and the impact resounded for awhile after.
Robin, just barely balancing on one of the rungs, smirked down at his adversary.
"You're going to have to move faster than that, if you ever want to hit me..."
He knew he shouldn't get cocky, but for once, he had the chance to provoke Slade's rage, instead of vice versa.
And about time, the apprentice thought with satisfaction, as the man lost his temper for a moment and swiped furiously at nothing; Robin had already progressed farther upward, smiling.
"Come on, Slade…you want to hit me…then do it!"
The boy pushed up on the sides of the ladder to boost him into the air, and round house kicked his enemy in the head, jerking it to the side. This angered the villain even more, but still he missed—Robin was smart enough to note that the end of the staff was getting distinctly sharper every time that it struck, steel against steel. He'd have to be careful about that…
And then, just as he reached the bridge, he felt Raven leave him.
His veins stopped thundering, as the adrenaline stopped coursing through them, and he could already feel the intense pain and weak state he was in before starting to return. But there was still a chance…he had about a minute left…he'd have to do something big…something that would make a difference, that would tip the scales in his advantage later on—
All the plans that he had been formulating left him though, as the end of the staff cut into the left side of his chest, sliding through flesh and bone...blood spilled out over his hands and uniform, as Robin sank to his knees, staring unbelieving…
"I…"
The staff struck again, plunging into his left shoulder and pushing itself down to his heart…
Slade was smiling. He knew it somehow…
"If I can't have you, no one can…"
Robin still couldn't quite understand what was going on…there was a lot of fog, like when he had been being strangled…but it wasn't as thin…
"Wh…?"
He couldn't speak without slurring his words…there was so…so much crimson all over…
The boy felt himself weaken and hunch over…
You have strength for one more thing…
So I do.
"That's it…it'll all be over soon…" A voice was taunting him as it always did, making him feel little...stupid…a voice he hated…the last thing that he was going to hear.
Robin, still numb with shock, managed to yank the staff out of him, grunting in the process, before he glared up Slade.
"I'm gonna…die…but I'm…taking you…down with me…" He growled, spitting the sentence out, but it was so hushed, he couldn't be sure he'd said anything anyway.
Gathering his resolve, he gripped the rod tightly and yanked it out of him; he thrust the end up and into the area of Slade's forehead. The man's eye widened in surprise, and using all his remaining power, Robin drove it in till the bloody tip pierced the back of the mercenary's head.
"And I know,
I may end up failing too.
But I know,
You were just like me, with someone disappointed in you…"
The two of them stared at each other, both dying, and Slade managed to say hatefully—though Robin detected a slight hint of pride in his voice:
"Master and apprentice…just the two of us…to the very end…"
Robin's eyes narrowed, and he gave the staff one last shove.
"Go to Hell."
Slade's body slumped forward, knocking into Robin, who was already weak; the boy lost his balance and went over the side of the catwalk, falling into oblivion…he tried throwing out a hand to break his fall, but…
Crack!
His body smacked against the floor, and Robin felt the bones in his arm snap in half, intense, white hot pain rushing to the area…
Did I kill him…?
His life flashed in front of him: His mom and dad, Bruce, Alfred, the Titans all smiling and waving at him, Slade's manipulation, Holocaust's body fizzing…he was fighting crime in both Jump and Gotham city…towing bad guys to jail…Cyborg and Beast Boy bickering over video games, Raven smiling shyly at him, Starfire giggling and hugging him…
Did any of it make a difference? Did any of it matter?
"It's all over now," he whispered to reassure himself, letting death come to him, preparing to carry him away…away…
"It's…going to…be okay…"
Nothingness.
"I've become so numb, I can't feel you there,
I'm tired of being what you want me to be.
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there,
I'm tired of being what you want me to be…"
--Song lyrics from "Numb," by Linkin Park (which is an awesome song, and they're an awesome band, but I take no credit for anything they've done)
To be Continued…
Well…there you have it. Robin's dead, Raven could be dead, Slade's somewhere in between…so on and so forth…
Important Author's Note, PLEASE READ THIS!
For the next chapter—I have a choice to make, and I need to know if anybody's going to be interested. I'm thinking of taking a plot twist in that chapter that will lead on to other stories, and not just a sequel. I'm talking about…like, a series. I need to know what you think of this, because I want to be sure somebody's going to read it. So: Should I just do the sequel and stop? Or…should I do a series? Please tell me…I'm kind of indecisive…
Later:
Rebel-Aquarius