Author's Note: First things first, I really apologize about the (considerable) delay, and updates might end up becoming a bit less frequent with school, work and whatnot. Regardless, I still fully intend on seeing this project through to the end. Oh and yes, many thanks for the reviews I've received in the meantime. I appreciate it, and I'll reply to every single one from here on (especially since my little 'shout out' section is no longer allowed --() )
On a side note, I'm still wondering a bit about the exact placement of this fic within the timeline, given all the stuff that's happened in Season 5 since I first started. After seeing a couple key scenes from specific parts of Season 5, I'm thinking this fic should actually take place after Season 5 (rumblings of the cancellation of Season 6 notwithstanding…)
Ok, enough of that…here we go.
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Chapter 8: Controlled Chaos
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"Well, well, Robin….hard at work as always, I see."
The stark two-toned mask was displayed on the enormous screen, against a black background, the single eye boring deep into Robin's very soul. The Boy Wonder stood with muscles tense, his hands tightly clasping the top of the couch as he stood behind it, leaning forward to meet the villain's gaze with one of his own. Cyborg and Starfire stood behind him, side-to-side as they also looked up at the screen, though Robin's facial expression held more distrust, more contempt, and more pure anger than both of them combined. Robin's eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched as his facial features increasingly became more rigid, his grip on the couch tightening by the second.
"Slade…" Robin barely uttered through his scowl. It had been many months since the Titans last crossed paths with Slade. Though they still dealt with the small-time criminals every now and again, things almost seemed downright peaceful by comparison with Slade out of action. Well, it seemed that way to everyone except Robin. Even though they all knew it'd only be a matter of time before Slade made his dramatic reappearance, Robin was the only one who'd remained vigilant in the attempt to track him down. Although, Robin's efforts proved futile…even Cyborg, who was capable of using astonishing cutting-edge equipment, had given up much earlier. When Slade wanted to disappear, he made sure there were no traces left to track.
Slade had decided to lay low ever since he'd regained his life after the deal with Trigon went south. However, being the ever-cunning conniver that he was, Slade managed to turn the situation slightly more in his favor by taking "specific" advantage of the various powers temporarily granted to him. Though said powers were no longer within his repertoire, he no longer needed them. In fact, he'd found quite an interesting use for them during the brief time that he still had control over them. An interesting use that would make things harder all around for the Titans.
"…Always trying to figure out the angle…" Slade continued, sounding nearly oblivious to Robin's rage. Slade's voice was calm as ever. "…Always studying, contemplating…you know, you really should get out more."
Slade's mask was unmoving. He looked only at Robin, as if Cyborg and Starfire weren't even there. Robin was already tiring of their conversation.
"What do you want?" Robin demanded, in as irritated a tone as he could muster.
"Straight to the point, eh Robin?" Slade's reply remained clam, measured, however his voice belied just a bit of amusement as his mask leaned in slightly closer to the screen. Almost taunting, in his own unique way. "No burning questions about my triumphant return to the land of the living? Not even a 'how do you do'? You're becoming more like your mentor every day, you know."
Robin shook off Slade's last comment, keeping his focus squarely on the villain displayed before him.
"What is it, then, Slade?" Robin asked, impatience wearing his expression thin. "Back to old tricks? Some new weapon you plan to try out?"
"Something like that…" Slade replied, while leaning in just a touch closer. "…But you'll find out soon enough, clever as you are…my former apprentice."
Those last three words elicited a renewed spark of rage from Robin as they cut through the airwaves, the words themselves almost feeling like a shot to the ribs as they instantly brought to mind Robin's time working for Slade. Robin's arms began lightly trembling due to the strength of his grip on the couch.
"…Don't call me that." Robin said coldly, the built-up hostility expressed in his voice slightly startling Starfire, who momentarily looked away from the screen to glance at Robin.
"Robin…" She barely whispered. Her emerald eyes softened for a moment with concern for her friend, but they narrowed again when she then continued to watch Slade up on the screen.
"Oh, come now," Slade said, feigning offense in a way that was obviously meant to mock. "You can't possibly still hold a grudge after all we've been through together. Do you not remember the hordes we crushed, fighting side-by-side? We formed quite the formidable duo, as I recall."
"A grudge?" Robin asked, making no attempt to hide the sarcasm in his voice. "That's always been your thing."
"Touché."
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In Raven's room, Beast Boy lay on his side on the floor, tending to his sore ear, only the most recent of his various bruises. Raven hovered a couple inches above the floor, her back to him as she replaced the magic mirror on the dresser. Of course, given all the events of earlier, Beast Boy had a lot of things on his mind…a lot of things he wanted to ask Raven about. However, as it stood, she still hadn't spoken a word since she'd found him, and the prospect of trying to draw a conversation out of Raven while she was in her current mood didn't seem to be among the best of ideas. But still, Beast Boy somehow managed to gather up the courage required to speak.
"You know…" Beast Boy said, while turning to look at her, "…you didn't have to drag me the whole way back. That really hurt…"
"…Trust me, you deserved it." Raven said, still facing the dresser. "I told you, let me handle my own--"
"I know…" Beast Boy said as he rolled his eyes with a small sigh. "Nobody goes in your room, nobody goes in your mind, your stuff's off-limits…look, I'm sorry for all that, and…"
As Beast Boy went on, he was surprised when he looked back to see Raven looking directly at him. That in itself wasn't what surprised him, but rather her facial expression startled him. In it, Beast Boy saw a mix of apprehension, anxiety, and fear. He could tell she was trying to conceal it somewhat, but her amethyst eyes were a giveaway. Upon meeting her gaze, Beast Boy sat up, suddenly feeling concern.
"I'm sorry, Beast Boy…" Raven said, still trying to maintain her monotone, though her facial expression already conveyed her real feelings. "I know you only had good intentions. You truly wanted to help me..."
"Of course I did!" Beast boy said, shooting his arms outward in a gesture meant to convey his emotion. "Raven, you're my friend. That means I got your back, no matter what. You know that. Come rain or sleet or psycho fire-breathing mole-people, I'll be here. And I'm not the only one."
Raven's partially concealed apprehension began to diminish as she allowed herself to smile a half-smile at him. Though it had truly taken a considerable amount of time as well as a serious effort on her part to grow accustomed to her friends (especially Beast Boy; she was still working at it to be honest) it eventually become easier for her to coexist, to tolerate the varying personalities which had left her feeling so isolated when the team first came together.
"Thank you for that." Raven said, nodding slightly. Beast Boy stood, no longer tending to his ear, but rather rubbing at the side of his jaw where a small bruise mark from Brave was still present, a coy smirk across his face. He really wanted to ask about Purple Raven… and yet, he still hadn't worked up the nerve to ask Raven directly. So he attempted to work his way around to it.
"Although, you can hold your own pretty good…" Beast Boy said with a chuckle. "Heck of a punch you've got…well, the green you, anyway."
Raven smirked. "Like I said, you deserved it."
"Heh…" Beast Boy flashed a toothy smirk. "…If she's ever lookin' for a rematch…"
"You'll be the first to know." Raven assured him. She knew Brave held back in that little spar, though. Otherwise, Beast Boy'd probably be in a coma right now.
Beast Boy cleared his throat, preparing himself to say what had been on his mind. She was still looking at him, which threw off his concentration a little bit, but he shrugged off any hint of suspicion by giving Raven a reassuring smile. She took some secret solace in it, but her expression from earlier still nagged at Beast Boy.
"Heh heh…umm…Raven…there aren't any psycho fire-breathing mole-people coming, right?"
Raven broke eye contact with him, turning to face the door.
"No…something worse. Something…terrible."
Beast Boy eyed Raven quizzically, one eyebrow raised.
"Huh…? What do you mean? What's coming, Rae…?"
Raven was silent for a several moments, and she could literally feel Beast Boy's gaze on the back of her head. She turned her head only slightly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
"Me…" She said softly.
Without another word, she turned back, leaving Beast Boy behind as she headed off into the darkness of the hallway. Beast Boy's brow furrowed as he watched her go. He still hadn't moved from the floor.
"You…?"
With that, he stood, making his way out into the hall to follow Raven.
"Hey! Wait up!" he called as he went.
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Back in the main room of the Tower, Robin was trying his hardest to keep his emotions in check. He'd been doing a poor job of it so far.
"…If it weren't for my help, you never would've saved Raven." Slade remarked, very matter-of-factly. "You do know that, don't you?"
"You're wrong, Slade…" Robin said, his voice taut.
"Am I?"
"I would've found a way…I would've saved her…with, or without your help."
In the adjacent hallway, Raven could begin to hear Robin and Slade's exchange. Upon hearing the last bit, she halted in midair, eyes slightly widened as Beast Boy nearly ran into her from trying to keep up.
"How typical of you Robin…" Slade interjected, his tone now becoming analytical, but in Slade's own condescending way. "A boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders…however, you fail to see the bigger picture. You want to save this world, to protect every person who inhabits it…you think yourself a shining savior to these hapless citizens, this meaningless city of yours. The fact that you aspire to such goals on your own merits is…commendable, but you are not without flaws, Robin. I believe we've established this fact already. You march readily into every battle--"
"But I'm not alone." Robin interrupted, cutting off Slade's lecture. At this point, Raven and Beast Boy joined the other three Titans in the main room.
"He's right." Cyborg pitched in, supporting his friend. "We're here too. All of us. When the baddies show up, we're gonna stand--"
"--And we will fight." Starfire finished his sentence, green energy flaring up in her eyes for just a moment.
"Every time!" Beast Boy chimed in, as if he'd been standing there all along. Raven couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Cute..." Slade said, before his voice grew just a touch harsher. "…But not enough. Until you understand this simple truth, you will never realize your true potential, Robin."
"Even if I never realize my 'true potential'…" Robin said, sounding as though he was beginning to calm down as a hint of a smirk crossed his face, "…I'm still more than good enough to take you down."
"I admire your candor. And I would be more than willing to test your mettle in combat one more time…" Slade's mask leaned in closer to the screen. "…But it seems you're a bit...busy at the moment."
Robin and the other Titans looked questioningly at Slade. A few moments later, a semi-transparent projection map of Jump City appeared on the screen before Slade's mask, a blinking red dot suddenly activating near the downtown district, accompanied by the familiar flashing red lights and alarms sounding throughout the Tower to indicate trouble. A few seconds later, and more red blips popped up at various points around the city, one by one. Slade's mask then pulled back from the screen, farther and farther until it was completely enveloped in shadow.
"He's had way too much free time…" Raven mused, arms folded as she glared up at the screen.
"And we've got work to do." Robin said firmly.
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Once the Titans crossed the bay back into the city, Robin issued orders to his team.
"Titans, split up! First, I need--"
"Split up?" Beast Boy interrupted, an incredulous look on his face. "Are you crazy? Did you SEE how many little blip thingies there were? Besides, there's no telling when Slade could pop up…if we all split up, then it'll be easier for him to--"
"There's too many of them for us to handle this any other way." Robin said, his gaze looking off to the skyscrapers in the distance. "I don't want anyone getting hurt. Cyborg, take the electronics district. Beast Boy, check the pier. Starfire, head to the park. Raven, I need you at the warehouses up north."
"And you?" Cyborg inquired.
"I'll take the rest." Robin said, as he throttled the R-Cycle. "Titans, move!"
With that, Robin peeled off into the city, the other Titans heading off to their own destinations as they were told.
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At the park, Starfire hovered slightly above the treetops, looking for any signs of a disturbance. It seemed quiet enough…and she often enjoyed the tranquility of the park. Though in her mind, no place could compare to the beauty of Tameran, she found herself growing more and more fond of the things Earth had to offer. And it wasn't just the scenery…indeed, there was something she found here that she would've readily abandoned Tameran for in a heartbeat…
Starfire's musings were cut short by the sound of a young girl screaming. Jolted back into the situation, Starfire bounded off, traveling through the air as fast as she could toward the sound. Soon, she saw the source; a man in a black tuxedo with a wand and top hat had a young girl cornered against the lake. The girl held a small kitten in her ams. As the man reached for a gaudy necklace the girl wore, he was forced to jump back when Starfire fired a few warning bolts in his direction. She landed nearby, hands and eyes glowing emerald green. Since he still faced in the opposite direction, Starfire couldn't see his face.
"You will leave her alone!"
The man was quick to react, producing a red rose from within his tuxedo.
"Ah, mademoiselle…" he said, turning to offer the flower to Starfire, his head bowed so she still couldn't see his face. She looked at the rose, slightly confused by the man's behavior. When he finally glanced up at her, she instantly recognized him.
"You are…the Mumbo Jumbo, correct?
The blue-faced clown grinned. "The one and only!"
Without warning, the red rose squirted a purplish fluid, aimed straight for Starfire. She gasped, eyes widened, though she was unable to dodge before the fluid made contact, instantly sticking, expanding, and lifting her from her feet, carrying her with it until it slammed into a nearby tree. Starfire's back collided with the tree with a loud thud, and the young girl only looking on in fear. Mumbo cackled, twirling his magic wand about in the air. Starfire struggled against the bonds, but they held fast.
"Well, that was easy." Mumbo remarked, amazed at his own handiwork. The bonds were strong…but Starfire knew she could break them if she concentrated her strength. She began covertly collecting Starbolt energy in her hands as she bided her time.
"Why do you attack the girl and her small cat?" Starfire asked. The kitten rolled its eyes.
"This is my boyfriend!" The girl yelled out. "That clown changed him into a cat!"
"That's right…" Mumbo said. "Normally I'm just content to rob a place…clown's gotta eat, ya know. But then I spied that majestic necklace adorned on that young girl there, and I just HAD to have it! Of course, the beau wasn't too fond of the idea…so I had to show 'em a little of the good ol' Mumbo magic!" Speaking of the necklace…I'll be taking it now."
Mumbo turned back to the girl, threatening once again to steal the necklace. The girl's kitten/boyfriend hissed, pawing and scratching at Mumbo's arm. Mumbo yelped, hopping back again.
"Still got some fight in you, eh? I'll fix that…"
Although by now, the energy Starfire collected had melted away a significant portion of the bonds, and with a fierce yell, she broke free, bounding off the tree trunk low to the ground, preparing to fire more Starbolts at Mumbo. He turned just as she broke free, a look of slight fear on his face, although it quickly melted into an arrogant smirk. He began waving his wand in a strange fashion.
"Mumbo…Jumbo!"
An instant later, a wall of giant playing cards sprang up from the ground, circling Mumbo and his prey in a house of cards, with Starfire isolated on the outside. Starfire shot a wave of Starbolts into the wall, but they simply exploded harmlessly against it, not even leaving so much as a scorch mark. Starfire halted in air upon reaching the wall, and placed both hands on it. She heard the young girl inside scream again, along with another cackle from Mumbo. Starfire growled, digging her fingers into the earth just under the wall. With another yell, she tore the ground there asunder, lifting the entire side of the card house until it lied sideways.
"Eep." Came a small sound from Mumbo. Starfire sent more Starbolts his way, but he managed to dodge them.
"Sheesh, you're like an animal…even more than that green one…" Mumbo said. "Speaking of which…"
Without warning, he turned, pointing his wand at Starfire. With another chant, Starfire soon found herself encaged.
"…animals belong in cages!"
Starfire attempted to fire more Starbolts…only to find that her arms and legs had been chained down inside the cage. This time, the chains seemed especially strong. They wouldn't break as easily as the bonds from earlier. She glanced up, eyes narrowed.
"You will release her!" Starfire called out.
"Oh, the girl?" Mumbo asked, a sweatdrop rolling down his neck. "Sure, sure, I'll let her go…" Mumbo continued, turning to take a threatening step toward the girl. "Just as soon as I get what I want!"
This was Starfire's chance. Her eyes glowed bright green as she fired off her eye lasers, making contact with Mumbo's wand. It snapped in his hand, the built-up magic in it fizzling out weakly. With the wand out of commission, the kitten changed back, and the cage surrounding Starfire vanished into thin air. Mumbo growled, not believing that everything went sour so quickly. Once again, he was forced to revert into his original form, an old, feeble man.
"I really need to rethink this whole thing…" Mumbo said, turning to flee. Starfire chased after him, dashing around to block off his path. Mumbo shrieked, quickly turning again to run in the opposite direction. Starfire shot a hand out to grab his collar, holding him in place for a few moments before tossing him into the nearby lake. Mumbo sloshed about, cursing his bad luck.
"I believe you are now… 'all washed up'." Starfire said with a giggle, quoting a phrase she'd heard before. Mumbo groaned.
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Raven walked through the cold, barren warehouses, wondering if anything had even been sent here at all. She reached into her cloak, drawing her communicator. A few seconds later, Robin's face appeared on the screen, still wearing the helmet as he zipped past streetlights and other traffic.
"Raven, what is it?"
"Robin…you're sure something's up here? I've searched, and nothing seems out of the ordinary…"
"Keep looking." Robin said simply. "Slade's up to something…and we've gotta stop him."
"Right."
Raven put the communicator away, and continued searching the place. At least it was quiet up here…dark, too. She could appreciate that. Not to mention the added bonus of Beast Boy not being around to grate her nerves. She'd have to enjoy this solitude while it lasted…
As she passed under a few crates suspended in air by ropes and cranes, one of the ropes snapped, dropping the crate that was directly over her. She glanced up, thrusting her arms out to catch the heavy crate with dark energy before harmlessly tossing it aside. Out of the immediate danger, she looked about her surroundings as a group of Sladebots emerged from shadow.
"Real original." Raven said, as she collected energy in her hands.
Two of the Sladebots leapt at her simultaneously and Raven crouched low, anticipating their arrival. She hopped back to dodge a flying kick, then dodged around a series of quick puches and kicks from the Sladebots. Ducking under a roundhouse kick, Raven lashed out a hand, grabbing a Sladebot by its face. A moment later, she surged a wave of dark energy through her arm, completely obliterating the entire top half of that Sladebot, as well as another one that had been approaching from that direction. She swiftly turned to deal with another Sladebot, bringing up a forearm to parry a punch from the bot before slamming her foot into its midsection, sending it hurtling until it crashed into a pile of crates.
Another group of Sladebots jumped out from behind that same pile of crates, and this time a few of them were equipped with energy pistols.
"Fun…" Raven thought to herself. She crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"
An instant later, she thrust both arms outward, expanding a shield of black energy across the entirety length of the warehouse. The Sladebots on the other side couldn't get through, and the energy shots from their pistols didn't help much either. Pressing her arms forward, Raven pressed the shield across the warehouse, crushing every Sladebot on the other side, as well as anything else on that side of the warehouse against the wall.
Raven wasn't given more than a few seconds worth of a rest before more Sladebots emerged, surrounding on all sides. Raven took to the air, dodging energy bullets while raining down some of her own. As she gazed through the cloud of smoke left in her wake, looking for stragglers, she didn't notice the two Sladebots hiding themselves slightly above, in the rafters. They pounced on her, each one dropping a foot onto her back. She was sent careening downward, through the cloud of smoke until she hit the floor.
Raven recovered quickly, firing energy blasts upward in retaliation. She heard a single explosion, signifying that she'd hit at least one of them. The other wasn't too far away as he emerged from the haze, lunging out with both arms. Raven ducked under, hopping up with a spinning roundhouse kick which connected cleanly with the side of the Sladebot's head.
With one more Sladebot down, Raven began to wonder just how many had been waiting in ambush. After a few tense moments of total silence, she heard a shuffling noise behind her. Before she could turn back, however, another Sladebot got close, wrapping its arms around her neck from behind in a reverse hold. Several more Sladebots jumped out, all piling up on Raven. A few moments later, rays of black energy found their way out from the cracks in the pile of Sladebots. Then, a massive explosion as every single Sladebot was thrown into the air, a good number of them being blasted straight through the walls and ceiling of the warehouse. Raven emerged from the smoking warehouse, walking out into the central clearing.
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Upon reaching the electronics district, Cyborg was surprised to find the typically bustling, active place dark, abandoned. Cyborg activated a shoulder-mounted flashlight, moving through the street until he found a series of busted windows at the mall. Stepping through one of the windows, Cyborg observed the area. Furniture and other display items were destroyed, entire stores ransacked. Still, no signs of anyone actually in the area. Cyborg glanced down at his arm to get a reading. Sensors indicated that someone was still around.
"Well, if it isn't the Tin Man! Still looking for that heart?"
Cyborg heard someone laughing, turning to see none other than Control Freak, standing on an upward-moving escalator.
"Man, Control Freak, what are you doing out on the streets again? Last I heard, you got served by Bee and Titans East."
"I got out, moron." Control Freak barked. "With a…little help, but that's beside the point. Besides, there's no jail on this planet that can hold me. Now, if we were talking about the Gordonians, or maybe the guys from Clash of the Planets…"
Cyborg sighed. "Why'd I have to be the one to deal with this guy…"
"HEY! Don't underestimate me!" Control Freak yelled, pointing his remote at Cyborg. "Did you forget, Tin Man? I'm a level 12 Space Samurai!"
Cyborg responded in turn by taking aim with his Sonic Cannon.
"Don't do it…" Cyborg warned, his gaze set in stone.
"Watch me."
Control Freak pressed a button on the remote, and nearby items suddenly levitated from the floor, flying toward Cyborg at breakneck speed. Cyborg took a potshot at Control Freak before activating his micro missiles, which spiraled outward, protecting him as they crashed into all the incoming projectiles. Control Freak managed to duck under Cyborg's shot, retaliating by sending more projectiles Cyborg's way. Cyborg dashed to the escalator, shooting any object that got too close. Upon reaching the top floor, Cyborg spotted the tail end of Control Freak's cloak going behind a row of computer equipment.
Cyborg stepped cautiously forward, Sonic Cannon charged and ready. Hearing a sound behind him, Cyborg quickly spun around to see Control Freak running at him with a metal pole raised.
"Feel the wrath of Bushido! HWOOO!" Control Freak screamed, bringing the pole down on Cyborg. Cyborg raised an arm to block, and the pole snapped in two, the broken end snapping back to nick Control Freak in the forehead. Control Freak fell to the floor with a yelp, both hands clutching his forehead in agony. When Control Freak finally looked up, he saw the business end of the Sonic Cannon only inches from his face.
"Nice try." Cyborg said with a smirk.
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Beast Boy wandered the deserted pier, slowly slipping into boredom.
"Augh! So…bored!" Beast Boy yelled out, kicking at a discarded wrapper as he ambled down the midway. "They could've at least left the arcade games on…stupid Slade…"
"Hey little man, how's it goin'?" Beast Boy recognized the voice right away. It was Adonis.
"You…again?" Beast Boy asked, as Adonis emerged from a shadowed corner, fully decked out in his battlesuit.
"Heh. I been workin' out, pumpin' iron. How about you? Still a little chump weakling?
"Why don't you find out?" Beast Boy growled, fists clenching. The way Adonis called him 'little man' reminded him of Brave. He'd show Adonis who the chump weakling was. Without another word, Beast Boy morphed into a monstrous T-Rex, roaring furiously at Adonis as the creaking floorboards under Beast Boy struggled to hold his weight. Adonis smiled, cracking his knuckles.
T-Rex Beast Boy lumbered toward Adonis, jaws opened wide. As Beast Boy attempted to bite down, Adonis caught Beast Boy's powerful jaws with both hands, engaging in a power struggle. Beast Boy threw his head upwards, lifting Adonis into the air, before forcefully flinging him across the pier, until Adonis slammed into the pier's Ferris Wheel, bringing the entire thing down in a tremendous cloud of smoke.
Beast Boy detransformed, walking toward the wreckage. The smoke cleared, revealing a still-standing Adonis.
"I'm impressed, little man…" Adonis said, as he stepped over the debris to approach Beast Boy. "You've gotten tougher."
"You have no idea." Beast Boy replied, before morphing into a rhino. Rhino Beast Boy lowered his head, charging full-on at Adonis. Adonis chuckled, waiting until the last moment to grab Rhino Beast Boy by the horn, spinning around to fling the massive creature into a group of food stands. Beast Boy quickly rose from the debris, running at Adonis in the form of a grizzly bear.
"This again?" Adonis said as the two locked arms. Adonis won the struggle, tossing Beast Boy again. Beast Boy stood, rage building. Adonis ran at him, fist cocked back to deliver a fierce haymaker. With a smirk, Beast Boy shapeshifted into a chimp, and effortlessly passed under Adonis. As Adonis stumbled off-balance, Chimp Beast Boy hopped onto Adonis' back, yanking at the circuitry of Adonis' battlesuit.
"No! Cut it out! You might--"
A second later, and Beast Boy managed to cut the power on Adonis' suit, deactivating him entirely. Beast Boy jumped away detransforming with a wild grin on his face. Adonis was immobile, he couldn't even get out of the suit anymore.
"Guess that means I win." Beast Boy said.
----------
The Boy Wonder ripped through the streets of Jump City, headed toward Central. As he weaved effortlessly through traffic, he couldn't help but think about what he and the team were getting into. Slade was a force to be reckoned with, that was plain fact. But what exactly did he have up his sleeve? He seemed to be alluding to something when they 'spoke' earlier, but Robin couldn't bring himself to figure it out. Right around this time, he got another call on his communicator. The first time it was Raven, but still, he half expected Slade to be on the other end when he flipped it open. Instead he saw Cyborg.
"Cyborg…what's up?"
"Yo…I got our buddy Control Freak all taken care of over here, how are things on your end?"
"Nothing yet…"
"Well, I been lookin' at the map of the city…maybe it's better if I just show you. Maybe you'll see what I'm talking' about."
A few moments later, Cyborg wired in the projection map of Jump City, complete with the red blips on the map that the Titans were individually dealing with. Robin looked at the map, still glancing up every now and again to avoid traffic. The blips on the map were mostly at opposite corners of the city, and they all seemed to converge…almost as if they were coming together to a central point…in an 'X' shape…
Robin's eyes widened.
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Author's Note: Yeah, had to end it there. The Titans are spread across the city, and Robin has just made a startling realization. What will happen when he reaches his destination? And just what exactly does Slade have in store for the team? Find out next chap!