A/N: Alright, so it's not a one-shot anymore. I just had another idea, and went with it. Kill me. This needed to be written.
IMPORTANT: Most of this is a dream of Robin's, which is why it's in italics. Everything in double quotation marks are quotes from the actual show, basically memories floating around in Robin's head. Everything in single quotation marks are Robin thinking. The bold is what Slade says.
A row of four monitors, each marked with the name of one of the four other Titans, showing a picture of the blood vessels and a readout of vital signs. Every cell carrying a device along with it: tiny metal spheres, marked with Slade's S.
"You can't control them. No matter what you threaten, they'll never obey you." My words turn sour in my mouth as I look down at myself dressed in Slade's uniform."This isn't about your friends, Robin. It's about you. It's always been about you."
My vision clouded—Cinderblock, Thunder and Lightning, members of the Hive—all stood over me, staring down—
"Sending trouble your way. Leaving cryptic clues for you to unravel. I was testing you."
Garbed in black, skull mask pulled over my head, jagged-edged cape billowing off my shoulders—that's not me…is it?
"Excellent, Robin. We appear to be evenly matched and equally ruthless.
"I'm nothing like you!"
Terra, in her apprentice uniform, drifting upon one of her rocks through the broken city…
"You're a criminal, a psychopath! All you care about is destruction!"Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, Starfire; all staring down on me in fear, sadness, disdain, hurt…because of what Slade made me…no…because of what I did…
"And all you care about, you destroy."
Why? Why did I have to lie to them? Why did I have to be Red X?
"They're not your friends anymore."
"Sooner or later, you'll let your guard down."
Terra, tears streaming down her face, large, pointed rock in the grasp of her golden powers, gazing down on Beast Boy—suddenly throwing the rock at Slade—the next time I saw him was when the lava was eating up his haunting mask…
"You will pay." But I won't be the one to make you…
"You're going to keep stealing, Robin. And you're going to keep getting that thrill. And sooner or later—you will see things my way.
"Who knows? I might even become like a father to you."
Of all the things he's ever said to me, of all the things he's ever done to me, these words dug the deepest. It was a crushing blow to know that he knew just were to hit me, physically and psychologically, and forced to be his apprentice was painful enough, along with his truth-twisting comments and questions—but to claim to be my father…that was the final push. I was no longer balancing on the edge, no longer disliked him, no longer simply frustrated that I couldn't take him down. Now it was personal. I was falling, drowning in hatred, loathing for him—there was nothing more he could do to me, after taking my freedom, my life, everything I had. Nothing could stop me from lunging at his throat—
Except that small voice in the back of my head; the one that I had stopped listening to a long time ago. But now I listened. Now I didn't have a choice. It reminded me that no matter what this man did, what he made me do, I was still a hero. He wanted to turn me into a criminal; wanted to show me how much easier it was just to give in. But I knew just how easy it was, and I had decided that being like him was to take the easy way out. I wasn't going to be weak. I was going to prove how much stronger I was by resisting, by being the hero I knew I was. He could take my freedom, my friends, my life—but he wasn't going to take me. I wasn't going to give him what he wanted.
"I already have a father."
Words were fluttering through my head now, at breakneck speed, seemingly random. Sentences that lurked in my subconscious, never letting go, never letting me move on…
"How can you save a city, Robin—when you can't save yourself?"
'I'm drowning…I need help, but I can't ask…too absorbed in my facade of strength and well-being to tell them…to let them know…I'm not as confident as I thought I was….But I'll get better…I'll get better when he goes away…when he's gone forever…'
"I won't stop. Not now, not ever. I am the thing that keeps you up at night. The evil that haunts every dark corner of your mind. I will never rest…and neither will you."
'I won't rest until you're taken down…until you're out of my head…they think I'm obsessed, that I need to get away to get better…but they don't know how deep you hurt me…'
"Your friends can't see the truth, Robin, even when it's right in front of them."
'I'm alone…I thought I didn't need them…that I could handle it…but now it's too late for help…'
"You always knew it was going to end this way."
"I've been fighting Slade for so long, I guess it's hard to just let it go. But sometimes I feel like I'm the only one still looking for him—the only one who can stop him."
"That's precious, Robin. But I didn't come back for you."
'So that's it? I want you to leave me alone, and you go after Terra…and then Raven…why can't you just stay dead?'
"You can't always have what you want, Robin."
Terra, in Slade's uniform—we're battling it out—her last chance, that I promised Beast Boy—
"This isn't about your friends, Robin. It's about you. It's always been about you."
She thought she killed me…she thought she killed all of us…but she doesn't know us…
"Sending trouble your way."
…but Slade does.
"I was testing you."
What if…what if Terra was another test?
Robin woke with a start, words ringing in his head. He had always thought it…odd, that Slade had chosen Terra as an apprentice.
'Apprentice…' He suppressed a shudder. 'I hate that word…' In attempt to get over his experience at Slade's side, he had read over and over again the description the dictionary offered:
One bound by legal agreement to work for another for a specific amount of time in return for instruction in a trade, art, or business.
Despite the fact that none of what Slade did was legal, he had had to work for the man, and perhaps constantly sparring with him would gain him a little knowledge and experience. But this description did not fit Terra's predicament. Yes, she had been bound to him, physically, and worked for him, willingly, but being controlled was no way to learn to control her powers…right? And there was no way she was ever going to learn martial arts…
…had she in fact been another test?
…and if so…then to test what?
Robin glared at the door, tossing a coin in his head. Was he going to tell the other Titans about his new possibility?
No…he'd tell his friends.
A/N: So yeah, I had Robin try to resolve his problem with the Titans. Didn't really want to leave you guys hanging like that. Aren't I nice?
But seriously, am Ireally out of itin thinking that it was weird for Slade to get Terra as his apprentice after we were so sure that he was after Robin? At first, I thought he was just thinking, 'hey, Robin didn't work out because his morals were too strong. Get someone I can easily bend to do my bidding, and I'll be set!' but then I was watching Apprentice part one, and when he said 'It's always been about you. I was testing you.' I was just thinking, well, what if Terra was another test? Like, maybe, testing Robin when he was up against an ex-friend. I don't know. Just a thought. Anyway, tell me what you think?
Liobit