Robin paced his study angrily. Slade had gotten away once again this time stealing sophisticated microchips and computer boards. Robin shoved the table over angrily. Why? Why did Slade haunt him so badly? Why did he constantly pursue him? What drove Slade do to the things he did?
"Robin? Forgive my intrusion, but I wanted to check in on you. Lately you have been somewhat moody. Please will you not tell me what's the matter?" Starfire asked him gently.
"Its nothing Starfire. I'm just trying to figure out Slade's next move. I just don't understand why I can't figure him out. Maybe I need to take a break. I'm going to bed. Good night." Robin told her.
It took awhile for Robin to fall asleep. His mind was too preoccupied with finding out the truth about Slade. The desire to find out who he was under that mask had become an obsession. One that constantly ate away at him causing him to take foolish risks and put the ones he cared about the most in danger. He no longer had pleasant dreams but nightmares clouded his mind. Nightmares that seemed so real. Lately he his dreams seem to be almost like memories, but none that he lived.
In the living room the rest of the Titans sat on the couch discussing their leader's troubles. "Robin is losing it guys. He's constantly on the verge of collapsing, he's always trying to hunt down Slade, and he doesn't take a break ever." Cyborg said.
"Yeah not to mention his whole attitude had gotten worse lately. He's more aggressive then usual. He's acting like he use to when we first met Slade. I thought that after that incident with Slade making him his apprentice he would have changed his ways." Beast Boy said confused.
"Perhaps that's the root of the problem. What Slade did has greatly affected Robin emotionally, physically, and mentally. It hasn't helped that whenever we encounter Slade after that Robin's the only one who had to face him. He's never gotten a chance to really work out those emotions. Not to mention Slade hasn't given up either. He seems genuinely intrigued by Robin and continues to pursue him whether it's to kill him or try to recapture him." Raven remarked gravely.
"Raven is right. Slade's latest crimes have only furthered Robin's desire to hunt him down. We have never clearly understood Slade's motives in any of his plans. We know very little about the real him or what he truly desires. What makes a person do such bad things? But what is certain is that neither Slade nor Robin will be content until the other one submits to him. That has me worried." Starfire said anxiously.
"Star's right. We have to figure out what's Slade's planning before Robin hurts himself. Lets try to figure this out. We know he stole microchips, computer boards, a neural interface, a transmitter array, and lastly he stole compact miniature battery pack. What could all this stuff make when put together?" Cyborg asked programming the data into the computer.
"Dude that could take all night and its already past midnight. Why don't we get some sleep and try again tomorrow? That way we can try to keep Robin occupied while were busy tracking down Slade." Beast Boy suggested.
"You know that's not a bad idea. You're not such an idiot after all. Good night everyone." Raven said before silently walking to her room. The others shut down the computer turned off the lights and headed for bed. No one realized that soon they be facing their toughest challenge.
Slade was busy working on his newest invention to help break Robin. To make him become his apprentice come willingly to his side. He had attacked him before emotionally and pushed Robin to his physical limits. What he needed now was to mentally tune him to his proper destiny. That way he would clearly see he was destined to be Slade's successor.
For the past two weeks he had been working on developing a way to transfer his mental patterns to Robin via his REM patterns. If he could get Robin to think and react like him then it wouldn't be long till Robin was doing it voluntarily. Preliminary tests had shown excellent results. The Titans had no idea that he was using their own security system for his own advantages. By linking his mind up to his transmitter and sending out an electronic signal through the security system he could project his brainwaves inside Robin's head. So far the boy had only been experiencing extremely vivid and dark imagery but as soon as he obtained the final pieces to his machine he would be able to transmit even when Robin was awake.
Tapping some keys on his computer he brought up some medical charts that he wished to compare. "Computer record apprentice journal entry 45. Robin's brain activity has increased by fifteen percent due to outside stimuli. His brain chemistry is slightly off in his serontonian levels along with his electrons firing at a higher rate. Certain sections off the brain have been altered and some off his higher brain functions have increased. In short his brain is adapting swiftly to deal with the mental images I have sent him. When I compare Robin's mind to my own shortly after I became immortal I noticed that they are almost identical. This warrants further study. For now I have decided its time to increase the amount of imagery my young apprentice receives. He's already responding well to low and medium levels so why not a high level?" Slade said grinning wickedly behind his mask.
Placing the headband around his head he connected the device to his MET (Mental Experience Transmitter) device and interphased it with his main computer. Two screens lit up flashing the message "Awaiting data." Smiling evilly he closed his one eye and thought back to the day he first became immortal. He tried to imagine every smell, every touch, and every sound just as it was. He could clearly picture it in his mind. The device, which looked like a small gray tower with blinking lights on it, came to life buzzing with excitement. The first screen sprang to life with memories of that day. The second should Robin in his bed beginning to have a nightmare.
Robin was panting hard. He began to toss and turn as sweat began to pore down his face. He clutched the blanket so tightly in his that he started tearing it apart. He was also talking in his sleep. "No, stop get away from me. Leave me alone."
Robin was in a hospital room. It was dark and he could smell the faint odor of dead bodies. He was strapped tightly to a gurney. He saw his best friend Wintergreen watching waiting for the procedure to began.
The doctors strolled up to him. "This might sting a little bit. Remember if you feel any pain tell us. You and the other test subjects in this project have been selected for this important assignment becomes of your commitment and talent."
"Shut up and give me the injection already." Robin growled. He was eagerly waiting for the procedure to begin. He could only imagine the kind of power he would have when it was over.
Suddenly his veins felt like they were on fire. His whole body screamed in agony. He began to jerk violently back and force. His vital signs went from all time high to low. Time had no meaning. But he could feel his intelligence growing, his cells changing; his body was undergoing a massive transformation to something more powerful. It was becoming immortal.
Robin woke up screaming at the top of his lungs. He looked down at his hands, which had begun to bleed from being scratched at so much. The Titans burst into his room flipping on the lights. "Robin! Please what is the matter? Why are you screaming like a howling shulgar?" Starfire asked as she knelt down next to him.
"Its nothing really. Just a bad dream really I'm fine." Robin insisted pulling away from her.
"Dude your sweating like a pig and screaming like you've just seen a ghost. Not to mention you're bleeding. You're not okay." Beast Boy said.
"Lets go to the sickbay. I want to give you a full examination." Cyborg said. Before Robin could protest he picked him up and carried him into the sickbay all the while he protested.
Once there Cyborg began running several tests on him while Raven healed his hands. "Robin why didn't you tell me about these nightmares? I could have helped you deal with them. Right now I'm sensing a lot of fear in you and that's not good for your health. Remember what happened when I didn't talk about my fear?" she reminded him.
"I'm not you. Guys please you don't have to do this. Those nightmares are just images in my brain. They mean nothing." Robin insisted
"I don't know about that. According to these test your brainwave patterns are slightly erratic and you body has twice the usual amount of serration and adrenalin pumping through it. Something stimulating your body and if it keeps up your brain could overload and put you in a coma. Right now I think the best thing for you is to monitor you sleep and take it easy for a few days." Cyborg advised
"Agreed. You need to take some time off. That includes letting us deal with the threats to the city and you staying here and resting. We will call you if we need you. Now please go to bed." Starfire said running her hand through his hair.
"Alright I'll stay here for the night and try to rest. But don't expect me to be back to my old fun loving self tomorrow. Something is happening to me and I intend to find out what it is." Robin told them.
"Dude just go to bed. Will even leave a nightlight on for you. Night everyone see you in the morning." Beast Boy said yawning as he went to bed. The others followed suit and soon Robin was fast asleep with the machines monitoring him.
"Sleep all you want my young friend. Now that I know that my device works perfectly at distances, its time for the new improved compact model. Once I get the newly sub zero emitter crystal I can create a compact MET. This one would be able to work while the you're awake as long as you're wearing the headband." He would proceed with his plans tomorrow. Soon Robin would be evil.
The next day Robin woke up with Cyborg and Raven going over the readings from last night. They seemed to be a little concerned by the results. They were little on the high side. "Why I can't tell what's causing your brain to react like this, but I'm sure that I'll find the solution to the problem soon." Cyborg assured him.
"Till then I recommend you to take it easy. Maybe you should learn how to meditate or some other of my mind techniques for controlling your mind and emotions. There really quite helpful." Raven suggested.
"Maybe later. Right now I got to go practice. Just because I'm taking it easy is no reason for me to get out of shape. Excuse me." Robin said brushing past them.
Robin was in the middle of his workout when Starfire entered the room carrying Silky in her arms. She had a look of concern on her face. "Robin are you sure that your healthy enough to be doing all this activity? Cyborg said that your brain activity was erratic and Raven has insisted that you take it easy. You are doing neither."
"I'm fine really Starfire. I'm not good at doing the whole relaxing thing. I promise you that I'll try to relax later right now I want to try and pretend that everything normal." Robin said.
Silky chose that moment to jump from Starfire's arms and into Robins. He began to lick his face with his long tongue much to Robin's annoyance. Starfire laughed at his misfortune. "Ah isn't that sweet. Silky must really love you to give you a kiss."
"Yeah well here you go." Robin said handing back the pet. She took him back reluctantly. Robin notice that she was looking at him sadly with her eyes. "Starfire I'm okay really. Look if anything was wrong with me you could tell by looking into my eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul." He told her taking her hands in his. Suddenly the alarm went off. Ignoring the look from Starfire he simply said, "Trouble. Lets go."
In the main room Beast Boy was at the computer consul trying to isolate the cause for the disturbance. He barely looked up when the rest of the team entered the room. "We've got trouble. Someone broke into Gemtech and is currently raiding their safes. No clue to who though."
"That place is on the other side of town. Will get there faster if we take the T-car. I'll follow on my R cycle. Titans go." Robin ordered before anyone could tell him to stay home.
When the Titans got to Gemtech they were not surprised to see Slade's robots looting the safe. "Whatever you guys are after your not getting it. Titans go!" Robin ordered whirling his bo staff at the closet robots.
The robots were ready for the assault. They used the emitter crystals to intensify their lasers. Cyborg dove behind a stack of rubies and shot his sonic cannon through them. The blast was magnified tenfold obliterating the robots. "Booyah! There's nothing like blasting a couple robots in the morning to get the juices flowing."
Raven was thrown out of the safe and into the research lab by a well-placed shot. The robots then unleashed a new kind of weapon on her. A sort of sonic blast meant to destroy her ears. She threw up a shield around her. She glanced to her right and saw a growth chamber where they made the crystals in. "Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" she chanted waving her hand. The robots barely had time to register that there was a two-ton crystal chamber floating above their heads before they were flattened.
Beast Boy was getting knocked around. It seemed no matter what animal he changed into he couldn't evade the laser fire. Turning into a mountain gorilla he leaped on top of the robots and ripped their arms off.
Enemy forces surrounded Starfire. She whirled around in the air releasing starbolt after starbolt. One Sladebot managed to grab her leg. Her eyes blazing she flung the automaton straight into the wall. She began to search frantically for Robin, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Robin had chased an escaping Sladebot who had enough sub zero crystals to make half a dozen weapons. He threw a birdarang straight at him but the Sladebot merely deflected it and kept running. He shoved open the door to the stairwell and rocket towards the exit to the roof. Robin fired a grappling hook and followed him onto the rooftop.
It was very quiet on the roof. There were not a lot of places to hide. Just a couple of transformers and an air duct. Robin readied himself with two freeze disks and proceeded cautiously. "Come out from where ever you're hiding. I want to know exactly what your master programmed you to do with those crystals."
He walked close to the transformers but not close enough to get electrocuted. Something about this wasn't right. Why had that one Sladebot run off like that? Why was there no evidence of his departure? A cold feeling swept through Robin. Suddenly he didn't feel like being alone on the rooftop.
That's when someone jumped him from behind and forced him to the ground. "Did I catch you off your guard Robin? A pity your usually much more careful then that." Slade hissed into his ear as he forced the headband onto to his head.
Robin struggled and managed to throw the heavier man off his body. He tried to yank the device off his head but it was stuck fast. "What do you want Slade? Why did you steal those emitter crystals?" he demanded angrily
"Patience my boy. You'll soon see. In fact you'll be seeing a lot of things my way soon enough." Slade predicted. He was wearing a matching headband. He then pressed a button on his utility belt and a strange device that was strapped to it began to glow.
Robin head began to explode with images and intense feelings that were completely alien to him. He grabbed his head and started yelling in pain. "No stop! Get this thing off me!" He struggled envain to remove the headband from his head.
"Not a chance. Soon the procedure will be complete. I must thank you for being so stubborn. I might have had to wait weeks to use this device on you if you stayed in the Tower. Now your all mine." Slade laughed. He was still laughing when an explosion from below shook the roof. Losing his balance he fell onto the transformers causing them to blow.
Both Robin and Slade screamed in pain. The miniature MET was going berserk. Sparks were shooting everywhere and the device let out a high pitch whine. The headbands glowed brightly and a slight zapping noise was heard right before the transformers blew up. Both of them went soaring off the roof.
Robin fell fast towards the ground banging his head against the fire escape causing the headband to dislodge. He would have hit the ground and become a street pizza if Starfire hadn't caught him right before he hit the ground. "Robin! Speak to me. Robin are you okay?" she asked worried. She saw out of the corner of her eye the last few Sladebot departing with their master. The rest of the team raced out of the building.
"We should go after them. Put an end to Slade once and for all." Beast Boy said.
"No we need to get back to the Tower. Robin has been gravely injured. He needs immediate medical attention." Starfire insisted urgently.
"She's right. Come on you all were heading back to the Tower. Raven think you can tow Robin's cycle back with your powers?" Cyborg asked. Raven nodded her head and went to fetch the bike.
Once back at the tower Cyborg and Raven wasted no time in examining him. "From the looks of things he's lucky to be alive. He was nearly electrocuted to death when that transformer blew." Cyborg said.
"He has a minor concussion but that should heal in a few days. I've also taken care of the burns. His brain wave activity is a little weird but that might have to do with the jolt he received." Raven concluded.
"So he'll be okay? I mean he might be off for a few days but in other words he'll be fine?" Beast Boy asked. Raven nodded and he let out a sigh of relief.
"I wonder what Slade was up to on that rooftop. Why was he after those crystals and what did he do to Robin?" Starfire said anxiously. Before anyone could answer Robin let out a groan. "Robin! You are okay." She said giving him a hug.
He looked at her confused. He seemed puzzled by her actions as well as his surroundings. He looked at each Titan in surprise then caught a glimpse of his own reflection. His eyes widened in horror and he let out a scream.
"Robin chill man. Yeah you look like a wreck, but your okay. Everything is fine. Starfire saved you from becoming part of the pavement. You were hurt but we fixed you up just dandy. Why don't you rest for awhile while we go try to figure out Slade's next move okay?" Cyborg suggested. The Titans nodded and left Robin alone.
Robin forced himself out of bed and walked over to the mirror. He pinched himself hard to try waking himself up. It didn't work. Looking down at himself then back at the mirror furiously. He drew back his fist and smashed it. Blood trickled to the floor proving this wasn't a dream. "How can this be? How can I be trapped in this body?"
Across town in Slade's hideout Slade was waking up. He felt very strange and bumped into stuff like he wasn't use to having one eye. When he caught a look at his reflection on the computer screen he attacked it. He fell to the ground in pain and horror. Bringing his hands to his masked face he realized in revulsion it was his own reflection. "Oh no this can't be true it just can't be. This is my worst nightmare. I'm trapped in my nemesis body!" he wailed.