Disclaimer: Standard, I only own Shadow, nothing else.
Thanks for the reviews that I have received. To answer one question, the pairings haven't come into the story yet. The Titans are just a bunch of friends who live together at this point. You should be warned, I will not focus on romantic relationships. The major pairing will be RobxStar until Haunted. After that the focus will turn to a growing RobxRae that will actually progress to the 'couple' stage at some point. I will have BbxTerra, and one sided ShadowxRaven after a while.
This chapter will cover a much larger portion of the time line than the last two but nowhere near as much of the first. The first portion will be kind of like pages in a history book covering the highlights of the problems he steps in on. After that it will begin with the "X" episode. Hope you enjoy.
Anduril.
'So now the emotional turmoil of the past few days comes to a head.' Thought Shadow as he silently followed the now leaderless Titans into what had to be assumed as Slade's new lair. 'You would think that someone who thinks so highly of his mind and creativity as Slade does would resent giving in to the old lair in a warehouse generalization. I mean even the Joker has used warehouses, and he's as, for lack of a better word, different as they come.' Shadow was then jolted out of his thoughts as he made a pipe rattle and Cyborg swung around to shine a light where he had just been. 'Better concentrate on this 'mission'. Where the heck is Rich? I mean finally breaking into Slade's lair and he isn't even here? I wonder why the emotions I receiving from him are so…defeated. I'm not even getting a joking one out of Gar, that's a new experience. He and Rae feel so grim. I wish these stupid 'empathy' bonds I accidentally made with them made telepathy mixed in with them. What has happened while I was involved in that stupid tournament of 'villains', and why did they choose me for that but leave that stupid egg-head at the Hive home, I'm a frikkin her- Holy- when did this happen?' The group had stopped and were staring off into the only part of the room with light in it.
There standing in front of Slade was the one and only Boy Wonder only he was dressed in a mini-me version of Slade's armor. The only difference in the mask he now wore and the one he always had on was the edges at each end turned upward, giving him an angry and much darker look. His head hanging down in submission. 'Whoa, I did not see this one coming. I am so gonna hafta kick his butt if he's gone over to the dark-side.'
Shadow never had to do that because at that moment Star fired a bolt directly at Slade
"Robin attack!" Robin then looked over at his friends and saw two familiar masked eyes narrowing in the shadows above the others. In those blank white eyes he saw the challenge. Shadow was daring him, Robin, the Boy Wonder, the hero who could do no wrong to raise a hand against friends. Robin just stood there not sure of what to do, he knew he could fight his friends to protect them but not Shadow, because he would never accept anyone, let alone his brother, giving up and going against their morals to protect him.
"Guys get out of here, you don't know what-" He was cut off by Beastboy and the others.
"Dude, we know." Beastboy stated a fact unknown to Shadow with a seriousness that no one knew he had.
"And we don't care." Cyborg, in his best friend and big brother like way, was telling Robin he didn't have to do this.
"But Robin doesn't have a choice in the matter." Slade said with such a tone of finality most of them were taken aback. At that same instant Slade pressed the button on the control detonator attached to his wrist.
Shadow heard cries of pain beneath him, and upon closer inspection the four teens beneath him were almost writhing on the floor in excruciating misery. Masked eyes widened as the pieces of the puzzle came into place. Robin was being blackmailed!
Just as Shadow was about to make his presence known by launching himself at a completely unsuspecting Slade, Starfire mumbled something that apparently Robin heard. She seemed to inspire something inside her leader that not even his brother could, because at that instant Robin made a decision and charged towards the laser that was near a wall on the far right. After making contact with that another screen on the far wall came to life and showed small probes attached to Robin's red blood cells. With that a pained Robin walked with determination towards a stunned Slade.
"New deal Slade I lose my friends you lose your apprentice." Robin had a tone of victory weaving in, and not leaving, his voice.
'Dang, does he know how good it feels to hear him talk like that again?'
Slade, fairly quivering with rage, threw the remote down to the ground and the pain the Titans were feeling subsided. As soon as Robin felt he could breath again a metal covered boot flew towards him. Slade expecting to be able to easily beat this lesson mercilessly into his wayward apprentice never expected to have Robin react by catching his shin and holding him there so that his friends had an open target. Slade smirked his friends didn't have the reaction time to attack him before he forced Robin to release him. Then it would end with Slade's victory once again. Just before he yanked his foot away and began to humiliate the teens yet again something razor sharp embedded into his neck. Distracting him long enough for the other Titans to assault him eventually leading to their victory and him fleeing, FLEEING!
The Teen Titans had finally defeated their arch nemesis, they felt like having a party, Raven was even the one who suggested it!
While the five teens celebrated their undeniably well deserved and explosive breakfast palooza, said villain was yanking out a simple, jet black, and four-rayed ninja star. "It seems there is a player in this chess game that I have overlooked. I'll have to put them into consideration. Maybe Robin thinks he has found a secret weapon, I'll have to put a closer watch on their comings and goings." His said in his calm yet venomous voice. Yes this new player would have to watch out.
And yet, Slade never placed a name with this new player. He never seemed to make another appearance. Not even with his new apprentice, Terra, acting as a spy inside the teens own home discovered anything about Shadow. At least, not that he ever learned about. While there was nothing on the mainframe about his existence, Shadow never stopped coming and making his short visits. To those that he came to talk to he always said and did exactly what they needed even when it wasn't what they wanted.
He slowly started to create a bond with the newest member of the Titan family shortly after her return from being recruited by Slade. Their bond never reached the level of the other's because she was never fully honest with him and slowly he stopped talking to her as she became more and more Slade's puppet. He never found out about her connection with Slade until the time the others did. But she could never bring herself to report her new friends existence to Slade. Terra found that he was nice to just have around to talk to and never told Slade about him because he wasn't a Titan, just a friend.
But then she betrayed them and the only reason Beastboy even left Terra's room was because of Shadow. While Shadow didn't know how to help him heal the heart ach he was able to supply him with encouraging words and some one to talk with about Terra. Over time Garfield was able to develop a way to deal with the pain, he would just think about the good times and hope there would be more.
During the final moments in the battle with Terra and Slade in cavern Terra's will was so completely defeated by Slade's that she was going to fight them until she looked behind Robin and saw two narrowed slits that belonged to a mask and in those moments she had what was thought to be her last discussion with Shadow. Ringing through her mind was the raspy, grating voice that belonged to him, and him alone.
'Just what do you think you're about to do? Do you think that I will allow you to kill the boy you would never stop describing to me? The boy you loved…still love? Slade does not have control of you. You can still break free."
'He's to strong, I can't break free from his control!'
'Try Harder.'
'I am, I don't have the mental strength to do it!'
'Then I'll cut you free.'
At that instant Terra and Slade, who couldn't stop the mental intrusion, turned towards Shadow just in time to see him hurl a simple, jet black, four-rayed, ninja star towards the back of Slade's mask. Before Slade could react it tore through the nueral connections that allowed him to control Terra.
Terra took it from there regaining control she attacked Slade mercilessly, finally defeating the sociopath by hurling him into the river of lava running beneath them. But her powers caused the volcano to become active and threaten to destroy the city. But Terra in a final act stopped the eruption, but it cost her, her life.
After the Titans themselves came to leave the plaque and make the promise to find a way to reverse the process, Shadow came to try and reach out mentally to Terra. He was met with limited success the mind of the young girl was to drained of energy to think coherent thoughts, but she was alive and Shadow promised to work to find a way to give her the energy to break free.
Shadow was feeling good about himself, a very rare occurrence throughout his life. He seemed to finally find his position and place in life. His "family" as he now thought of the three Titan's he had any contact with were happy with their lives. Robin, without Slade around, had finally found a little time to focus on Starfire, which in Shadow's hidden eyes was an accident waiting to happen. Still he knew that he couldn't try to influence his brother in a choice like this, Robin was a smart guy and he knew that he would figure out how off balance that relationship would be. Now Raven, she was finally coming out of her shell and interacting with her teammates more and more often. It made him proud to know that all of his quiet encouraging was finally doing the trick. And Gar, he was in a league all his own, he was impressing everyone with how well he took the Terra incident and parts of it were just spending time secretly playing video games with Shadow. Yes, Shadow was finally feeling uplifted and content with his new life, no one was berating his methods or telling him how to run his life and he was having no problem keeping the promises to his friends.
Shadow leaned back against the trunk of the tree he was sitting in and relaxed for the first time in years. As he was lying there, he looked down at the Titans who were watching the fireworks that were going off in the distance. Robin, flirting incessantly with the pretty alien who was so into what ever he was telling her that the fireworks were long forgotten in her mind. Now, if that alien were to ever meet Shadow, there would be dire consequences, but for now they were on good terms because she was oblivious to his existence and therefore, never tried to be his friend, which was fine with him. Cyborg, another member who had no knowledge of the figure sitting silently in the tree above him was absent-mindedly chewing on a piece of grass, which looked like it was a habit from his long buried past. Soon, he and Shadow would meet and discuss fast cars, high end computer systems, and how they work, but not yet. Beastboy was sound asleep curled-up as a dog that was having a belly rub done secretly by Raven. Raven would absolutely die if die knew that anyone was watching her beautiful hands scratch the green dogs stomach. 'Wait a flippin second, did I just say beautiful about Raven? Holy crap I did, but it's hard not to think she's beautiful. In fact, me and her do make sense, but neither of us would do anything about it. Both because of our painful pasts and dismal futures. Oh, well I can still love her even if I can't tell her.' Just then the finale of the firework display went off and everyone stopped their little lazy activities and watched the brilliant display of light, color and sheer joy. With the loud booms and bright showers of fire dazzling the eyes it was hard for anyone to feel depressed. "Yes, thought Shadow the future is looking far less disturbing at the moment.'
After the Titans had gone home Shadow was still sitting in that tree trying to decide whether or not he wanted to spend the night there, when he was jerked back to his senses by a gruff voice beneath him.
"And he I was hoping that when you left Gotham all those years ago you would have had the decency to die and leave your brother in peace." The Dark Knight clearly was disappointed by the fact that Shadow still drew breath.
"Sorry To disappoint, I didn't know that you actually didn't think I deserved life." Shadow was mentally cursing fate. Just when he thought that he had found his niche in the world an authority figure came to rip it away. "I knew that life was becoming to good to be true, what laws or unwritten rules did I break this time? Did I make one to many jokes about 'supes' gray hairs again? Or wait is it you that I insulted this time? Oh please lecture me and get it over with." Venom and sarcasm dripped through his voice so thickly that it was obvious even with his disguised voice.
"Actually you're under arrest for participating in an illegal high speed motorcycle race in Arizona about a month ago. If you will come quietly you won't have it so hard." Batman said with the tone in his voice practically begging Shadow to put up a fight.
"What, did the big bad 'Just Us League' run out of baddies to catch so they come after little cry baby Shadow." Then with a speed Batman had never seen a normal human capable of Shadow hurled smoke bombs in and around the tree. Just as he was expecting, the rest of the league came out of their hiding places to try and surround him. 'Perfect.'
As soon as the smoke cleared the league was stunned to see J'onn(the Martian Manhunter) unconscious on the ground. Shadow was no-where in sight, he wasn't dumb enough to try and take on all of these guys at once. Slowly, the martian began to stir and stood up groggily.
"J'onn what happened?" asked Wonder Woman in a worried tone she had had no idea that the teen was capable of taking down a member of the league.
"It was strange, when I went to enter his mind I was met by mental defenses that are not natural to a human. Not even you Batman, have defenses this strong and impervious. I felt they were only slightly amplified by his suit and that most of the shadows that encircle his mind are generated by him." J'onn was speaking in a tone that worried the other members of the league. This boy they had always feared would reveal a much darker and sinister side was strong enough to block even a strong telepath's attacks. They soon alerted all of the adult superhero community to be careful and to try and capture Shadow if necessary.
In Titan's Tower the Titans were watching a movie when the screen was suddenly taken over by Speedy's worried face.
"What's wrong Speed?" Robin asked in a worried tone. Speedy was acting as if the Green Arrow had died.
"Dude, Robin have you heard from Shadow in the past three days?"
"Didn't I tell you not to mention my brother in front of the other Titans? He doesn't want people to know that he exists man." Robin yelled in an annoyed tone. Speedy was gonna die for that. If Rob had turned around he would have seen the stunned look on two of the Titan's faces.
"Well the whole world is about to know he exists, because the league is trying to track him down and arrest him! And I'm trying to warn him."
"What does the dude look like?" Cyborg innocently asked.
Surprisingly it was Beastboy who answered his question. "He's about Robin's height and he dresses completely in black." Robin and Speedy looked at him in disbelief.
"Picture an all-black Red X and you have him Cy." Raven's monotone put in…
While the Titans were speaking to Speedy, a figure was slipping through the tower towards the evidence room. Then it broke into the vault containing Red X and slipped back out as quickly as it had come.
What do you think. Please review. It may be a few days before my next review but I had to get this up as soon as possible. You have no idea how hard it is for me to bash Batman, he's my favorite superhero but it has to be done to get this story the way I want it to be.