Insaneiac: I'm pretty sure this is going to be one of the chapters everyone has been waiting for, but if you know anything about me, I'll make you pay for wanting it so much. But first of all, it's time to recognize the…

Reviews

Alexnandru Van Gordon: Glad to see you're antsy with anticipation, it'll be well rewarded. Glad to see the sister aspect has your attention, it'll be important soon. Won't say anything more, and if'n you do figure it out, don't blurb.

Infamous One:Yup, that Slade is one cold hearted, evil dude. But the kicker is, I haven't gotten to the real evil parts yet. Strap back and enjoy. And yes, I tried to keep the characters in character as best as possible. I feel it is most important, but I won't bore you with the rants of a lunatic.

Slade Wilson:Good to see the sister has become a slight attention grabber on you as well. Yes, I know, too many OC's might ruin it, but I never really indicated anything more than him just having a sister. Something to muse about in that head of yours…

Insaneiac: First of all, I got a new reviewer. I know it's something most people won't be too proud of, but for everyone I get, a little bit of love seeps into my heart, before being forced out by the cruel realization that love sucks. Oh well.

Disclaimer: I own my Aussie here and nothing more. TT does not belong to me at all.

Chapter 10: Cages and Keys

It had been another two days for any other person. Just another average day of work, rest, and everything in between. For some, maybe they kissed their loved ones on the cheek. Others might have gotten a raise from their bosses. Even prison inmates got food, a nice workout, and some television before lockdown. Yet for Blink, each day felt like months. Months of torture, pain, training, teaching, and above all else, Slade prying and pulling through his head to find new ways to stimulate his anger, and push him back to submission. For Blink, the past two days had been worst to him than anything he had ever lived through.

Even being chased by cops and friends in Australia was better than this. Even with his best friend attacking him on sight, and his only help going from his sister. Even his parents turned their backs to him. All of that was better than the hell he was going through now. Blink couldn't even complain about being hurt, since Slade could manipulate his mind into believing he was fine. However, Slade never totally did that for him, as the pain left reminds him of how powerless he really is.

How hopeless his situation really was, and how utterly screwed he truly was, and will forever be. He had not talked to another person, minding Slade, since the incident of Titan Tower, and for the same amount of time, he had been without a beer. Slade was taking from him every little joy of life, and teaching him life's biggest lesson. Life was a cold, hard, unforgiving, and definitely a painful bitch.

"Haven't had a damned beer for two days." Blink muttered, flinging a loose stone at a wall. "Haven't seen BB in two god damned days." Blink continued, throwing another rock. "And Slade is always looking down at me, laughing." His narration continued, before shooting a blast of energy at a stone.

Since his new and horrible life began, Slade had him change costumes. Instead of his tradition all black approach, Slade had him in a two piece black stealth suit, with steel alloy armor around his arms and legs, spray-painted black for the stealth effect. Each chunk of armor was made of a new material, allowing for maximum flexibility, with unprecedented protection. He had a pair of gloves, black and made of the same alloy, and light but strong boots, steel toed. And yet, around his head, where his goggles once rested, was a steel headband. A band that reminded him just who's property he truly was. It went well with the disgusting metallic S on his chest, off to the left. His old cloak was burned in front of him, and he was left without one, letting his dark blue hair show to the public at will.

He may as well have been branded by Slade. The pain would have been a lot less than the reflection of himself in any mirror. He felt sick at the sight of himself, and it took him a day before he could stare at the image of himself. He had turned from a carefree and joyful thief, to a broken down and miserable 'apprentice' to an egomaniac with an ugly mask.

'I happen to like my mask Damian.' Slade replied mentally, causing Blink to flinch. He couldn't even have free thought, or Slade would come back and remind him whose slave he truly was.

"I apologize…master." Blink replied, through grit teeth. His accent still seeped through, but it was never his voice he had anymore. His voice had become bitter, submissive, and most of all, alienated. Everything about Blink had changed to fit Slade's image. From the choice of attire to the tone of his voice, Slade had molded everything that was Blink, and made it into his apprentice, Damian. Yet still, Slade couldn't change two things, and more than anything, that hurt Slade the most.

He could not break his box around the identity of his sister, and he could not defeat Blink's eyes. His passionate green eyes that burned with intensity…with hope. Even if Blink felt no hope residing in him, his eyes would hide that sense from any who look upon his eyes. Slade could do anything to Blink's mind and body, but he could not bend his eyes to his image.

And in that small sense, Blink held power.

'That's better.' Slade replied, pushing Blink down further.

"I hate you…" Blink whispered beneath his breath, staring down at the floor from his cot.

'What was that Damian?'

"Nothing…master." Blink replied again, a teardrop running from his eye. At least he still had tears to cry, even though he had cried too much to begin with.

Darkroom ------

Slowly, and to Robin's combined feelings of delight and despair, the door opened to the room. Within a heartbeat, Robin's delight turned to bitter hatred, as Slade closed the door behind him, and stood at the door, allowing his presence to take its fullest effect upon the tortured boy. For three days now, Robin had held on to something. Slade found it both amusing, and annoying that Robin had fought him this hard, and this long.

"How are we feeling today Robin?" Slade began, condescendingly. He knew all too well and good how his captive felt. He just wanted to create the illusion that Slade cared. Alas, Slade found himself without a response from Robin, warranting a small frown from behind his mask. "Not to talkative today, are you Robin?"

"Burn in hell Slade." Robin uttered out, giving Slade his usual response. "While you are at it, take your father act, and shove it." Robin followed up, refusing to give any quarter to Slade. As long as Robin could breathe, he would do his best to refuse from Slade the one true thing he wanted.

"Still bitter dear boy?" Slade mocked, before walking over towards Robin. "I assume you're hungry?" Slade inquired with a sarcastic tone, once again knowing all well and good how hungry he was. Even if Robin wouldn't say it, his growling stomach did. "I assume you know that the only way you'll get food is if I allow it, right Robin?"

Robin growled like a freshly caged animal at the comment. He knew exactly what Slade wanted, and he knew what it would entail. "I'd rather die than beg for anything from you, Slade!" Robin snarled back, hatred pouring out upon the mention of his name.

"But Robin, you know I won't let you die. So either you can swallow your pride and insolence and beg, or I'll wait until you are too weak to resist, and force you to eat. Either way, I win." Slade countered, keeping the same cool tone about him. He knew Robin was losing fast, and it would be only a matter of time before he had Robin begging for basic nourishment.

It would inwardly kill him.

"Slade…" Robin growled most sinisterly, before closing his eyes. Slade was right, and he knew it. He wouldn't allow Robin to get away that easily. 'But I don't want to give in to him. AT ALL!' Robin mentally roared. His face contorted in a priceless fashion, as he swallowed deep. Eyes still shut, he finally responded. "Slade, please let me have some food." Robin muttered painfully, cringing at every word.

Slade would have laughed with joy, had he not been nearly as dark hearted as he was. Yet for all it was due, he wanted more. Much more indeed. "Robin, do you really think I'd let you go that easily." Slade taunted again, a condescending tone mixing with his already stoic voice.

Robin would have cried, had he not run out of tears far too long ago. "Please…" Robin began, nearly choking on the words. He knew what he had to say, and it made it all the worst. Shutting his eyes so tightly that it began to hurt, Robin continued. "… Master, may I have some food…" Robin muttered out, as best as his voice would let him.

Slade smiled wide behind the mask. It was something he had always dreamt of hearing Robin say, and today he had indeed said it. Truly, for the first time in a long while, Slade was happy. What the meant for Robin was as of yet undetermined. "Only because you asked so nicely." Slade whispered sinisterly, causing Robin himself to shiver deeply. Reaching for a bowl of enriched gruel, before turning back to Robin.

"Now then…open wide Robin." Slade mocked, watching as Robin's face contorted, and his mouth opened. It was all slowly coming to be, and Slade was reveling in every second of it. Slowly, he stuck a spoonful of gruel in Robin's mouth, and watched him eat slowly, and very, very spitefully. "Good boy Robin." Slade mocked, before petting Robin's head like a pet.

"Good boy."

Titan Tower ------

For the second day in a row, and at the same early time as before, Beast Boy was in the training room, working like an animal unleashed. Everyone who knew Beast Boy were both confused and slightly scared at their usual TV obsessed teammate turning into a serious and very focused individual. Even Starfire, who had finally left her room, and painfully retained her role as the joyful one in the group, was left utterly confused.

And once again, Cyborg walked into the room, and saw the former couch potato doing speed training on his treadmill again. He had been confused the first time he saw Beast Boy training, but just discarded it as him wanting to be ready for anything. However, when he spent the whole day training and speaking precious little, he was confused beyond that.

"BB, I'm going to go looking for hints about Robin… coming?" Cyborg tried, watching Beast Boy keep up with the high level of his treadmill.

"Can't… Training…" Beast Boy panted out, increasing the speed further.

"You trained yesterday. Common." Cyborg insisted, hoping that Beast Boy would get the point.

"Can't… Training…" Beast Boy countered again. Unfortunately, Beast Boy did not see Cyborg press the stop button on the treadmill. The entire treadmill shut down completely, and Beast Boy went flying, smashing head first into the wall.

"Now you're not. Let's go."

Pulling his head from the wall, Beast Boy whipped around and turned eye to eye with Cyborg. "DUDE! I said I was TRAINING!" Beast Boy hollered, rubbing his head as he screamed.

"I know BB. You've been training since yesterday. NON STOP! That's not healthy!" Cyborg yelled back, looking down at Beast Boy. "And you're scaring everyone!"

"Why! Because I want to be ready when SLADE attacks?" Beast Boy countered, going on his toes to shorten the height difference between him and Cyborg. "Because I DON'T want to be caught OFF GUARD again?"

"Alright Beast Boy, you better back down now. You know that's not what I'm saying."

Beast Boy, realizing his tone and his words, fell back to his feet, and turned to the punching bag nearby. "I know."

"What the hell happened? You went from being… from being you to a psychotic focused on his physical preparedness." Cyborg reasoned, seeing the twitch from Beast Boy quite easily.

"How do you know what I was ever really like? I know everyone thought of me as the comic relief Cyborg. Everyone did. Well guess what Cyborg, times are changing. Robin has been kidnapped, Titan's East is now destroyed…" Beast Boy yelled, as Speedy and Aqualad walked into to train. "… And to top it off, we have Blink working for Slade. WE NEED ROBIN BACK!"

"I know Beast Boy…" Cyborg replied, before hearing a disgusted grunt come from behind him. Slowly, he turned to see Speedy leaning up against the wall. "Want to say something Speedy?" Cyborg asked, in a serious tone.

"Actually I do. BB there seems to be the only one to clue in, of the original Titans that is, that training needs to be taken. Hell, you're the temporary leader, and even you can't see that."

Cyborg stared dully at Speedy, anger behind his glare, before turning around and making his way. "I'm going on a search for leads. Maybe instead of wasting your time, you chumps can do the same."

Speedy and Aqualad just glared back, while Beast Boy stared at the ground. The Titans were slowly but surely falling apart.

Blink's Room ------

Slowly, Blink rolled off the cot, and made his way to his regularly scheduled training area. It was time for another days worth of beat downs, lectures, insults, and prodding of the mind. He felt sick every time he walked to the area, fearing the coming assault. 'Maybe if Slade wasn't such a tight ass, I could find away out' Blink's mind slipped, causing him to fall back in fear. He knew the price of insulting Slade.

Yet nothing happened. Nothing at all.

'Your mask is ugly…" Blink thought, still cautious. Slowly, his eyes shifted left and right, as he waited. Still nothing. No punishment, no humiliation, no snappy remark. Nothing.

For the first time in days, a grin crept across Blink's face, and his hands glowed. Finally he could escape, get out of this hell hold. Warn the Titans where Slade was, and disappear without a trace.

Minding the fact that he still wore Slade's collar around his forehead. Slowly, he felt his joy slip away pitifully. He could think and blink, but he could never escape. He was stuck here for good.

Then it hit him like a brick. He couldn't leave…Robin could. If Slade wanted an apprentice, then he could have him. He wouldn't let Robin be subjected to this at all, not in the slightest. 'Slade can have me for now. I'll just help his little birdie fly the coup.' Blink's mind yelled to himself. Within a heartbeat, Blink teleported to the door to Robin's cage.

Staring at the door, he felt his grin creep across his face again. In a minute, Robin would be free, Slade would be pissed, and the Titans would be here in a heartbeat and a half. Even if Slade still had him, the Titans would have him free from Slade in no time. All it took was a few days of horrible pain, endless suffering, and Slade's wrath. In comparison, the choice was easy. Blink's hand gripped the doorknob tightly, and twisted. Slowly but surely, he pushed it opened, and looked into the dark room.

And it was all the more surprising when a hand came thrusting out from the door, and latched onto his throat with deathly strength. As quickly as it had happened, Blink was lifted off his feet, and brought eyes to eye with Slade. Walking quickly, Slade slammed the door shut, and stared back at his unruly apprentice.

"That was very foolish of you Damian." Slade said, tinges of anger escaping in his voice. As quickly as it had come, Blink's grin faded, and choking began. Kicking wildly, Blink tried to get free, but found himself firmly in Slade's iron grip. "Not only did you exploit the fact that I was not watching you, but you then went forward with your plan to free Robin."

"Guess I'm just one big sucker, Slade!" Blink choked out, gifted with newfound confidence. The fact that Slade could not watch him always brought hope to him, even if it was fleeting fast. "Maybe you aught to watch your rats closer…Mate." Blink spat out, his green eyes pouring all the emotion he needed. Slade growled like a monster before throwing Blink like a rag doll into a pillar. The impact resulted in a delightful cry of pain.

"I thought you had learned something Damian. That try as you might, I was everywhere and anywhere. Maybe it's your thick headed idiocy that is protecting you from it, but the fact remains." Slade growled, walking towards the motionless Blink. "That I am your master, and that you ARE my apprentice!"

"Really Slade? I guess I'm just a slow learner." Blink muttered, before slamming his hands on the floor, and raising himself to his feet. He had enough of being pushed around like a rag doll. If Slade wanted his subservience, he would have to pry it from his lifeless hands. As if on instinct, Blink flung a jab at Slade, but felt it slam hard into his palm. With immense power, Slade's hand closed around Blink's fist, and began to crush it. The screams that escaped Blink's lips were like music to him.

"Damian, we have gone over this. I know everything you will do before you do it." Slade teased, before taking a clear kick to the side of the face. The blow sent him stumbling backwards, mostly in surprise. It would be the dropkick that caught Slade completely off guard, knocking him to the ground.

"Didn't see that one coming, did you chuckles!" Blink taunted with pure passion, looking down at Slade. As quickly as he fell, Slade shot back to his feet, and turned back to Blink. Even with his face covered, Blink could see the rage in Slade's eye.

"You are learning something Damian. You've learned to fight with instinct, not thought. At least that much you've learned." Slade growled, before charging Blink. Blink flipped over Slade's head, but felt his leg get caught by the large man. With one swift motion, Slade slammed Blink into the ground, and then dropped a knee into Blink's chest. The blow brought a strong gag out from Blink, followed by a bunch of blood coming from his mouth.

Slade took no time in continuing, grabbing Blink by both shoulders, and driving his knee into Blink's stomach, drawing more blood. Dropping him from his grip, Slade delivered a vicious kick to his chest, sending Blink flying through the room, and hard into the wall. Blink fell to the ground again, landing on his hands and knees, and spilling more blood, before taking a vicious kick to the ribs, sending Blink flying again into the air. A vicious snap was heard, and Blink yelled out in pain as a rib shattered like glass. Blink landed hard on his back, and felt the wind fly from his lips.

Slade slowly walked up to the struggling Australian, and looked down at him. He was bleeding freely from the mouth, and his body was contorted in a way similar to a man with broken ribs. Lifting a foot, Slade pressed it down on Blink's neck, and lowered his head so it was closer to the apprentice's face.

"Well Damian, ready to quit?" Slade inquired, both with insult and anger mixed with his words. Blink just stared, his legs kicking as he felt the foot press down harder on his neck. "Or should we take a walk down memory lane?" Slade threatened, watching the passionate green eyes of Blink expand in horror.

"I... quit… master." Blink choked out, before feeling the foot taken from his neck. In its place, a strong and vicious hand slammed down onto his neck, and wrapped around it. As quickly as it had clasped it, Slade picked Blink up by his neck, and walked towards his main table in the room, his mood obviously still very poor.

"It's time I end your impertinence once and for all Damian. You see, I had planned on giving you this later, but I feel now would make it so much clearer just what kind of situation you are in." Slade growled, stopping at the table, and picking up a pure black mask. It was only half of a full mask, and it looked sinisterly similar to the right side of Slade's mask. The only difference was it lacked the bars the Slade's had near his mouth.

"What's that for…" Damian choked out, slowly.

"It's for you Damian." Slade replied sinisterly, smiling as he saw Blink's face contort into horror. "The final piece of the puzzle if you will. With this on, everyone will know just who you serve." Slade finished, before slipping on the half mask, and locking it in place. Dropping Damian afterwards, he watched as he struggled to take the mask off, and found himself incapable of doing so.

And then, Slade saw it. He watched with masked pleasure and victory as it happened. Through the eyes of Blink, the masked one and the fully revealed one, he watched it all happen. He even laughed.

He watched Blink's defying and hopeful eyes fail. The hope, the final shards of strength and power disappear from his eyes. All that was left of Blink's former strength was the look of a man defeated entirely, and forced to submit to a higher power than his own. Slade had effectively broken the man named Damian Grace.

"Rise my apprentice." Slade ordered, watching Blink stand, watching with sheer enjoyment. "Who are you?"

"My name is Damian."

"And who is your master?"

"I serve only Master Slade." Blink replied dryly. As if everything he had ever had had been destroyed in front of him. His life was gone, as was his dreams, faiths, and hopes. He had no other calling from now on. He was no longer the man that lived life as a free spirit, doing things his way and only his way.

He was now only Damian 'Blink' Grace, Slade Apprentice. He was his and his alone, and he would never again be free.

Insaneiac: Do you know how hard it is to do that to your own creation. I feel dirty…and slightly evil. Anyways, the deed has been done, and now Blink is effectively broken. He even wears a half mask, pure black (exactly like Slade's right side…minding the mouth slits.) Guess what though… The next chapters get real interesting. It's going to get really good now, I guarantee it.